Pitch Black
by Tirison
Summary: She vowed to protect her family and her family only with all her life. But then the next thing she knew she met someone and wished to keep him safe as well. OCxShika
1. Chapter 1

_**Heyyal! I just want ya to know that dis is my first ever attempt in making a Naruto ff which I liked just recently. The power of manga has turned me to a Naru-ff beast. Hidan also influenced me wih his cursung stuff so this story will be enough of it.**_

 _ **Well it's a rough story still; far from perfection and volunteered beta is welcomed. Anyway without further ado, peace love and scroll down! ~ Tir**_

.

It had been an hour now and she was still looking at the same things all over again. Though she never got bored of it, the feeling she felt whenever she went there. She knew she shouldn't be there this late night. She shouldn't have been there in the first place. But she had been here a lot more than she should've been.

At this crucial time it was not safe for her to wander around outside the perimeter, all alone in the middle of the night. It was very dangerous, even more dangerous after knowing what had happened.

Sighing, she moved on to the last two stones of the night. Physically they weren't that different from the previous stones. They too reminded her about a very sad night when all of things happened very quickly. The war, the destructions, the bloods, dead bodies. All of those horrible things happened in just one night by some stupid power-seekers. But it was more painful when she realized that her parents' bodies were laying peacefully few meters under the soil she stood on.

If she's had a weak heart, she would've dug in and laid her body between them. But no, she hadn't. And she would never have. She had made a promise to her mother not to be weak in any situation. Perhaps this was one of it.

She crouched down in front of those memorial stones and placed a big bouquet of flowers in the middle. On this way, she could imagine them holding the flowers together. She slowly closed her eyes and hummed some prayers. A tear slid down, leaving a wet trail on her pale cheek. More water drops followed as she deeply let things out.

After hours of jumping tress to trees and managed to liquidize along the channel, she arrived at a small, lonely island she had been hiding in with the remaining of the Kuroichi Clan.

Kuroichi Clan used to be so powerful, well-respected, living in the harmony of prosperity. Kuroichi had been a gift, a gift that needed to be maintained over generations, a gift that needed to be proud of.

But in just one night, all of those glorious days were just a history.

Now living behind the walls of trees in the unknown island, the clan was barely able to survive. It was now living in danger. In just one night, and one night only, the Kuroichi Clan was seen as a curse to be hidden.

"Thao-chan? Where have'a been? I'm worried sick!"

"Hn. You care too much." she said as she calmly pushed him out of her way, entering the make-shift house. The guy was still looking at her, not very satisfied by the answer. "I went to Yami, just so you know."

"Yami?! Alone?"

"Gee Usatchi, calm yourself! I got home just fine."

Usatchi grunted and shook his head. "Thank god Kabushiro is not here. He would kill you."

"Nah, I am immortal." Thao grinned smugly. "By the way where is him? And Uncle Tamashi? Patroling?"

"Not patrolling. Kabushiro would kill ya easier if he did," Thao turned to her teammate and shook her head when he goofily put on a wide smile. "But honestly I don't know. They left just hours before you came."

"Alright then—,"

"Oh there is one more thing I want to talk to you." Usatchi hurried his pace, pulling Thao's hand on the process.

"Oh please, I've had enough of you alright. Now it's not the time to stay and hear all your useless cra—,"

"It's about Otsuro."

As if it was a sacred word, the whole room felt silent, although it was currently only two people in the hallway. The only sound could be heard was a faint ticking from the clock, ticking constantly in harmony.

"What happened?"

Usatchi stayed still and roughly scratched his hair.

"What is going on Usatchi?!" Thao asked now a little bit out-tempered.

He sighed and glanced at the moonlight over the window. And then when he turned to look at her, she saw the same eyes she'd seen on that night. _Frightened_.

"The Akatsuki knows we're here."

Her whole body went rigid and the back of her neck started to shiver, but not because of the cold breeze of the night. She thought about something else. Without any more to say, she left Usatchi and went to Otsuro's room. But then she was abruptly shushed.

"Be quite, Thaomi-chan, he's asleep."

"I'm sorry I disturbed," Thao sighed and sat down next to Sukii. "I was just worried."

"I guess you've heard about the vision." Sukii said, still holding the eight years old on her lap. "Uncle Tamashi had it this morning. He and Kabu-niisan started to talk about it."

"I was here this morning." Thao exclaimed in a low voice, not wanting to wake Otsuro up. "Why I just knew?"

"Well, they kept it as a secret the whole day. But they told us just before they left, which I believe was few hours ago."

"Do you know where they went?"

"Don't really know, but I think somewhere far. I saw them packed up. I think it's a whole week journey." Sukii shrugged. When she felt a movement in her arms, she lightly patted his back to calm him down.

"Oh, should I—,"

"Already done. Me and Kabu sealed this place before he left."

Thao nodded and glanced at the sleeping boy on her arms. Looking at Otsuro now, he was still so small, adorable, and fragile. She still couldn't believe the elderlies were sealed down the Dark Spirit to this child. They had lost their minds till they had to do that. And their lives as well.

 _Dad? Dad?! No, dad. I'm sorry. Please don't go—DAADD!"_

"Why Kabu left in this situation? Stupid idiot."

Sukii smiled and held her hand with her free hand. "He's maybe stupid, but Kabu knows what he's doing."

"But—,"

"No buts, Thao-chan. Now why don't you go get some rest? I'm sure you need one. Yamigakure is quite a far walk, I notice." Sukii chuckled when Thao stared at her wide-eyes. "How is it?"

"How do you—,"

Sukii reached out Thao's hair as if seeking for something. When she pulled back, a small flowery hairpin was on her grasp. The clip instantly turned to a black liquid, flowing quietly into her body. Thao raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"I sometimes forgot how smarter you are compares to Kabushiro."

.

.

Once Kabushiro had arrived back at the island, he wasted no time to order an urgent meeting inside the house. And so an hour later, all of the rogue ninjas were gathering inside the room.

"As we already know, Tamashi-sama had a vision about a week ago," Kabushiro explained. "And I'm afraid the vision is getting stronger and perhaps, is going to be true."

Murmurs spread inside the room, talking about the frightening vision he was talking about. Even though they already talked about it times before.

"Silence!" Midatsu yelled out, simply getting their attention back. "Thank you."

"I also found out about something else." Kabushiro paused. "I found out that the Akatsuki had captured the Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara, and had taken the tailed-beast power."

Few of the adults nodded in sense. But the young just looked at each other in questioning eyes.

"Thao-chan, what does it has to do with us?"

"I don't know. I don't even know about it." she relucantly whispered back. "I guess we've trapped in this deserted island a bit too long."

"I couldn't have agreed more with Thao's opinion," Kabushiro said, smiling to the two kids who literally bulked their eyes out. "But we'll come to that later on."

Thao and Usatchi just let out pathetic smiles to him and slight nod.

"Anyway, dealing a jinchuuriki is not an easy task. And I heard that they had lost a member and chakra-sources, and now they seek for more. They are the Akatsuki after all." Kabushiro paused. "And somewhat they thought one of the chakra-sources belongs to someone here in this room at present time."

The people inside didn't dare to glance at the boy in Tsaiko's lap, but nobody could hold it. A short glance to his small figure was enough to remorse everything in the past. Every single thing.

"If this vision Tamashi-sama had is real, then we will protect Otsuro from any harm's way." Kabushiro sighed. "But with the tailed-beasts' powers, the Akatsuki might be getting stronger now, and more dangerous. I gotta` admit we are not prepared to fight them. Even if y'all think we were."

It wasn't a complete lie. In fact it wasn't a lie at all. Physically they were strong, they had to. Kuroichi Clan was one of the most powerful clans in the world, there was no argue in that. But mentally they weren't prepared, even for the head-clan himself. Silly, but he had to admit.

"Let's just say that the Akatsuki knows we are here. That means we need to leave and hide from them. But I have given a different decision. And I hope you can cope up with me."

Thao and perhaps all of the members of the meeting, exception for Uncle Tamashi who already knew, went to a silence mode, waiting patiently to him to deliver the news.

"The reason I was gone was to make an alliance with Konohagakure and perhaps from there, we can contact Sunagakure as well."

For the first time since the meeting began, a battle of different opinions began as the pros and cons started to argue over the decision.

"I don't think that's a good idea...,"

"Wait! They can be our helpers...,"

"Yeah, we can gain more power to defeat...,"

"Helpers?! We don't need help...,"

"Silence, all of YOU! If you want to say something, please be adult!" Midatsu practically slapped the table to make them stopped. Midatsu scoffed when nobody said a thing, "Kids."

"I shall continue. Yes, some of you may be capable to fight. But a lot of us don't. Admit it, you're not prepared either. And this is the only opportunity to gain more power, and possibly more safety for Otsuro."

"Why not Kirigakure? They fought with us once. I'm sure Mizukage won't mind." one of them exclaimed.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't want to stab a healing wound." Kabushiro said coldly. "Kiri is not the prosperous village and even after five years I still can see the wounds all over the place. You should've known that. We should have."

Thao frowned and lowered her head down. She wasn't a groupy person and surely she wasn't enjoying this never-ending debate. But then again, it was the only thing to be done, in order to protect the legacy of the clan, since a huge combat wasn't enough to stop the Akatsuki. And at one point, this meeting was done to protect her clan, to protect her family. Suddenly she had an urge to shut them all.

"I understood but—huh?"

"What is it Thao-chan?" all eyes turned to a small arm raised up.

Thao sighed and put down her hand. "I know I'm only a young and I shouldn't have butted in. But, um...what is it, since I am the only family left Otsuro has, I think I should say something as well."

"You do have all the rights," Kabushiro nodded, ignoring Gionn's glare to both Kuroichi. "Please."

"First of all, if this vision is true, then I won't deny that we will fight them like...uh, crazy, or something like that." Kabushiro slightly smirked by the chosen words. "But I think we do need a bit of re-enforcement. Looking at our condition, there are only eight Kuroichis left in this world. No offense Gionn-ojisan, but to me you don't know how to truly handle this situation. I mean we found you. You guys joined our forces even after the war happened—,"

"Watch your mouth, kid!"

"Gionn, let her speak! For God's sake I've been doing his three times now!" Midatsu now pointed a kunai to his mouth. Gionn glared back, but shut up anyway. "Ehm...Thao-chan, please go on."

"Sorry for my bad taste of speaking. I'm not that good with it. Anyway, as far as I know Konoha also has an unfinished business with Akatsuki. We can just simply work together with them and destroy those stupid idiots, just like we are now working together to destroy those stupid idiots." Thao let out a short awkward chuckle that echoed throughout the room.

At this moment Kabushiro would have laughed with her choices of words. But he was able to compose it. There were things more important than that.

"How the hell did you know that?" Reiko scoffed her from behind.

"I'm smart." Thao chuckled, only to get a gentle elbow on the shoulder. "What?!

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The Godaime Hokage demanded us to stay there, as part of the alliance. She said she would provide better residents, which I think we definitely need." Kabushiro smiled. "Thao's right. We've lived here for a little too long."

"Now may I?" Gionn grumbly interfered. "As far as I know, there's a Jinchuuriki down there. And the Akatsuki is looking for him as well. So I guess it'll be a waste if we stay there. They'll come around. Right Kabu-san?"

"Well—,"

"To be honest, ojisan, the Jinchuuriki is the least of my concern right now." Thao sarcastically butted in. "Besides, our mission is to protect Otsuro, not the tailed-beast."

 _She is definitely growing up. Funny how much she reminds me of her parents, a mix of a crazy mind and serious heart._ Kabushiro smiled. _Sorry uncle, but you've got a crazy girl who will seriously lead this clan to a bright light._

.


	2. Chapter 2

.

For a guy who didn't agree with the group idea, Gionn acted a bit too anxious for the past two days, Thao watched him smoking outside with his friends. There were possibilities of him resigning from the clan, as she over-heard a conversation between him and Kabu. But so far he hadn't, which was good, maybe.

Although there was another week before the journey to Konoha, Thao had already pictured the leaf village with the help of Otsuro's crazy fantasy. She imagined her and Otsuro eating popsicles together outside of their home.

Home...

She remembered seeing her old house was when it was burned down. She remembered crying hard, calling her teddy bear Jai, begging him to run out from the house. But he didn't and she'd never seen him after that. She also remembered when Sukii carried her away from the village to a hidden place deep into the forest. That was the last time she saw her house.

"Thao-chan?"

A voice startled her from behind. She turned around and grunted, "What now?!"

"Geez, sensitive." one of the twins mocked and heard another grunt from their cousin. "Oh come on now, Thao-chan."

"We are currently playing outside. And we are short for one people," Tsaiko said with a smile, now squatting in front of her. "You know what I mean."

Thao glanced at the window to see the bunch of ninjas laughing along jokingly, running here and there around the field. She couldn't help but feel the urge to run along with them and decided to take part.

You can say that the joyfulness on her face occurred only in a short time when Thao discovered that she was going to play soccer game. Even worse, she was insisted to play as the goalkeeper.

"I didn't sign up for this." Thao huffed, letting another ball passed her, entering smoothly into the makeshift goal.

For those who opposed Thao's team, they were cheering happily and often thanked Thao for her sudden loss-interest. But for the twins and some guys, they just stood there glaring at her.

The audiences just laughed at the silly bickering inside the field, from fellow team members. They laughed even more when Midatsu entered the field and gave Thao a red dried leaf and shooed her from the field.

"Bunch of stupid idiots!" Thao grunted for many time on that day and sat next to Sukii and Otsuro.

"Thao-nechan, you didn't play well." Otsuro innocently commented, making Thao snorted. "I can do better."

"Oh trust me, I can." Thoa smiled and shook his short wild hair, occasionally shaking his head too. "Just don't want to, for now."

"You suck!" Otsuro shrugged and stuck a tongue out to her.

Thao did the same thing and laughed, "You more than suck."

Otsuro pouted and huffed, shifting himself away from Thao. "You're a bad sister."

"Otsuro-chan, don't say that to Thao!" Sukii said, snatching his Popsicle. "Apologize, and I give the Pop back to you."

Otsuro frowned and turned around to Thao, not really noticing a hint of sadness in her eyes. Otsuro snuggled and eventually hugged her. "I'm sorry. You're the best sister ever."

Thao grinned and hugged him back. "That's okay. And thank you."

They both released the hug and Otsuro got his Popsicle back. "But Thao-nechan, I still think you're a bad player for soccer."

Hearing that, Thao laughed and sneakily snatched and took a bit on his Popsicle. "I couldn't agree more."

Otsuro turned his head to her and shrugged, before joining into the field of players. Watching him, Sukii smiled and leaned on Thao's shoulder. "He is so cute."

Thao smirked and bit down the Popsicle. "Well he got it from me, you know."

"Uh huh," Sukii rolled her eyes and chuckled lightly. "I really wish an adorable young brother. But I got Kabushiro insead."

"Hey he's not that bad. I mean he is—,"

"—cool and handsome, I know." Kabushiro finished the sentence and sat next to Thao, pointing at his chest with enough pride. Two girls stared on each other and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Well I guess I am lucky enough with Otsuro, aren't I Kabu-niichan?"

"Yeah." Even without knowing the situation, he was still being as confident as he was. "Wait, what was that all about?"

"Nevermind. I'll prepare dinner." Sukii said, getting up and entered the makeshift house behind them.

Thao nodded and watched as the current soccer teams matched on, occasionally becoming a cheerleader for both team, much to Kabu's dismay.

Watching the silly game in front of her was enough to swing out a slight pain she felt when Otsuro unintentionally said about her being a bad sister. How could she not? She had almost lost him twice.

One was the attack on their village, Yamigakure, six years ago.

Second was when another ambush to their hideout a year later after the attack, forcing her group to leave the country.

But there was nothing else to be done in order to change everything, other than moved on. It was a past event after all. Let by-gone be by-gone.

There was a saying; _yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery._ But it had to stop right there. Tomorrow, every tomorrow was indeed a special mystery. Either it was surprising or overwhelming; Tamashi's vision could change the whole idea.

All her thoughts were interrupted by sensing a shadow at the corner of her eyes. Thao looked to her side and spotted Gionn, still with his smoke-pipe, was lost in thought of his. It was rude to stare, but she did anyway.

When Gionn's eyes met her, he froze on spot. He even stopped breathing his pipe and just stared at her back. Thao raised an eyebrow, before watching Gionn stiffly retreated to his house.

"I was thinking the same thing. But I do hope he can change his mind and keep up with us." Kabu sighed and leaned on the grassy ground with both arms were under his head as a pillow.

Thao nonchalantly shrugged and suddenly got interest to rip out the grass around her.

"If Midatsu finds out, he'll be pissed."

"I don't know. I don't really give as grassy-shit about it." Thao said, blowing out the grass on her hand to the sky.

"Tch, you're such a mouthful of cursing."

"You're such a huge stupid idiot," Thao smirked and threw some grass to his face, "Stupid idiot!"

"Holy Crap!" Kabushiro shot up and coughed some grass out from his mouth.

.

.

The day went by and Thao found herself sitting on the window trail, facing the brightness of the mighty moonlight contrasted in the middle of the night.

The night was dangerously calm and quiet. Too quiet, she could hear a faint cricket chirping in the middle of the forest. She also could hear the breeze of the cold wind hitting her face as if it was whispering on something.

Only if she could hear the wind said to her, or it would be too late.

Thao sighed and closed her eyes, but soon wide opened when she heard a loud thud coming at the front of the house. Thao narrowed her eyes and stealthy climbed down the house to the ground.

Less than a blink of the eye, she had molded a kunai and now gripping it very tightly like no tomorrow. Honestly she was scared, but she was too scared to stop. When she arrived at the front yard, she met with nothing.

"Sheeesh." she whispered, scanning the area around her. Still she saw emptiness and then she randomly yawn. "I guess I need to go to sleep now."

There was no way she could barge in to the house filled with the breathing-dead. She shrugged and walked around her window.

"Thaomi-san?"

She froze and molded a kunai once more. A man who appeared to be badly injured came out from the darkness of the forest. Limping, he walked up to her.

"Come here and you die!" she said in a threatened manner, shakily holding two kunais now. The man just walked in silence and Thao was the least person to deal with patience. She threw the kunai to him.

To her surprise, the man didn't dodge and a stain of blood spilled from his body. "Nice work, Thao-san."

Then she saw him, "Ojisan?!"

There he was, walking with a limping leg, bloodied clothes and skin, with a kunai stuck at his shoulder. Her kunai.

"Ojisan! I'm so sorry! What happened?" She was worried, but didn't dare to move.

"Thao-san. I need you to kill me," Gionn yelled, closing the gap between them, "Now!"

"What?! Why?!" Thao made a hand move and the kunai on his shoulder burst into liquid. But it was too late.

"You're a brave girl. Just like your parents. I'm sure they're proud of you." Gionn now stood in front of her and smiled. "Now kill me."

"Okay Gionn, you're starting to freak me out." Thao took a few step back, tightened the grip of her kunai even more. "I don't want to kill you just because you oppose the idea—,"

"I'm not talking about the idea anymore!" Gionn yelled and suddenly crouched down in pain. Thao notice his body began to swell fast. "UGH Goddammit, Thao just kill me!"

When her sense started to lose off, she aimed the kunai to his heart. But it was too late.

Gionn had transformed into a big lump of white clay, and still gaining in size.

Thao's eyes widened. She'd seen that clay before. The one that burnt her house, the one that killed Jai, and the one who destroyed pretty much every single thing she had.

And it was just too late.

The fat clay exploded merely inches from her face. She cried out when she felt the force pushed her meters away. She embraces herself to hit the house wall or a tree, but she was caught by a pair of strong arms, preventing the crash.

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was a huge black dome towering above her. After short scanning, she realized she was inside the dome. So were the house and few people inside.

"Thao-chan, are you alright?!" Thao looked to the savior and nodded. Marogito replied her nodded in relieve. But it didn't stop there.

Outside of the dome she could see a battle field, but this time it wasn't a stupid sparring. She noticed some of the familiar faces were out there, clashing with non-other than the most dangerous group of an S-rank criminals ever recorded.

...

Otsuro!

Thao immediately ran into the house and entered the only room she could think of. Panting, she spotted a small kid crawling under a table for his dearie life. Otsuro looked out and practically jumped to Thao's arm.

"Thao-nechan, what's going on? I'm scared." Otsuro was crying and it made her heart ached. Thao didn't have the mental energy to tell him. So she just cooed him and calmed him down.

Thao was facing the open window, where it all began. Wind, fire, water, earth, lightning, every single elements were clashing in the sky like fireworks, very body-aching fireworks.

Stomps on the floor, Thao tensed up and shot up her free hand to the door, but soon relieved when it was Sukii.

"Sukii—,"

"You and Otsuro need to leave to Konoha now!" Sukii yelled out, now moving to the window and shooting her blood to the air to kill a clay-bomb.

"But Suk—,"

"Use the river. You'll be there in three days," Sukii shot more blood to the sky. "We'll make an opening."

"No wait—,"

"Usatchi has made a small stream to the river. Once you're outside, you know what to do—,"

"SUKII!"

At that time Thao wasn't holding Otsuro anymore. She walked up to Sukii and spun her around. Thao then saw the same look she saw five years ago. Frightened, nervous, and guilt.

"I'm sorry, but that was an order from the head-clan," Sukii hiccupped between the sentences. She was crying. "But we believe in you."

Thao nodded and hugged her tight, a tear started to fall on both girls' eyes. "Trust me. I know what to do."

Thao then crouched back to Otsuro to put him into a hibernation mode. At this crucial time, it was the best thing to do. When he was asleep, Thao hugged him, at the same time made sucking his body in to her own, securing Otsuro's in position.

When she walked out, she saw the stream Sukii was talking about. She knew what to do. She already knew.

"This will be your first S-rank mission. Usatchi and Marogito will go with you." Midatsu appeared and pointed to the two ninjas coming closer. "We will catch up."

A small glance outside the dome and she spotted Kabu was fighting a white plant thing. Kabu saw a chance to look at her and smiled shortly, before continued his battle.

Thao nodded and walked near the dome's wall. The foes seemed to notice the flight plan. They began ambushing near her way out.

"In count of three," Sukii said, about to break the dome opened, "One. Two! THREE!"

With the help of adrenaline rush, Thao zoomed out and transformed her and Otsuro into black liquid and flowed into the stream in quite a speed. Usatchi elongated the stream directed to the riverbed while Marogito tried to cover any attacks from behind them.

She could hear voices behind her started to faint in the background. But for now she needed to be relaxed. Three days to go, and she exactly knew what to do.

.


	3. Chapter 3

.

The liquid transportation was one of the most efficient ways in traveling. And probably the most dangerous human body could ever feel.

Thao had used the trick for almost two days in a row without any resting. She was now already inside the Fire Country and was tired. A good rest would be safe.

"Guys, I think this place is okay." Marogito yelled out from the sky, as he dived down into the forest and landed near the river, "Yep. We're good."

"Oh god, that hurts." Usatchi said emerged from the water in a form of a fish-tail human. In a split second he was fully transformed into a normal human being.

Then a ball of black water burst out from the river and splashed on the ground. Thao humanized her and Otsuro, feeling really tired.

"Thao! Your blood is red already." Marogito said, carried her to a nearby tree. She just weakly nodded, knowing that she had drained a lot of chakra. "I'll make a seal. You two get some rest."

She leaned on a tree, with Otsuro now laying on the ground and used her thigh as his pillow. She couldn't tell the time, but it was sure afternoon. She looked down to see the sleeping kid attached to her in many ways. He was sleeping peacefully without any noticing of the outer world.

So far she saw no disturbance. No clays, no plant, no...nothing. Perhaps Kabushiro and the others had killed them. Too bad she couldn't do that instead. She'd always wanted to seek revenge for the Akatsuki for what they got her family into.

Thao shrugged and closed her eyes, hummed few songs and sometimes prays. But how many times she tried to get some sleep, she couldn't. Maybe she was too tired to go to sleep, if that even possible. So she just let them closed shut.

She could sense Marogito came back with branches and dried leaves, and then he made a bonfire in the middle. Thao smelled the burned wood and mentally asking why he made a fire in this bright day. It was Marogito after all. The guy without less words and more dos, even though what he mostly did didn't really make sense.

"Why you made fire, Maro?" Usatchi tried. Marogito just predictably grunted and continued with his work. Usatchi narrowed his eyes and grumpily leaned on a rock.

Usatchi meanwhile was the annoying one in the group. He wasn't as good looking as Marogito, he was short too. He was slightly shorter than Thao (might be because she was a fairly tall kunoichi after all). But somehow his personality took over. Friendly but frontal; kinda` reminded her of her father.

She met them after her clan left Yamigakure. They were rogue ninjas, just like her. Like any other Kuroichi survivals. She smiled when rewinding some playbacks about them. How Thao admired his irresistibly odd fish-tail. How Usatchi mocked her senseless color choice; _no offense but black is like the color of your heart_ , she remembered the words. Annoyed, Marogito shut him down by a body sting jutsu.

And after that the three became a team, joining forces with her group.

Her only group.

Her family.

...

 _Kabushiro was stabbed right into his chest._

Thao's eyes snapped opened and jolted her body upright. Sudden pang of dizziness crept in to her mind. She breathed in and breathed out, trying to calm herself down. It was just a dream. A short, horrendous nightmare.

"Thao-chan, are you okay?" Usatchi turned around when he heard barely audible gasp coming from behind him.

Thao just nodded in deflated. Feeling her mouth suddenly dried out of saliva, she grabbed a bottle and greedily chugged the warm mineral in to her throat. While doing so, she noticed a barely visible dome covering the perimeter. Marogito had to seal the place so no one could see them. He hoped so.

Thao made a move to glance at her side and suddenly a pang of numb struck her left leg. Slowly she removed Otsuro's head from her thigh and gently put it on a makeshift pillow made out of wool of her coat.

"Usatchi-kun."

"What is it, Thao-chan?"

"No, nothing," Thao crawled and sat next to him. "I just wanna` sit here."

Usatchi nodded and continued to play with a ball of water under his command. Thao watched in awe as he swayed his hand and the water soon followed, regardless how many time she had watched him do that.

"Where's Maro?"

"Don't know. I woke up and he was gone." Usatchi shrugged. "Pissing, maybe?"

Thao raised an eyebrow in disgust. "You really just said that to a girl?"

"Well I just did." Usatchi laughed and nodded, only to make Thao felt even disgusted. "It's not that I said—oh, Marogito. You came!"

Thao turned her head to see Marogito appeared from the deepest forest. "What were you doing, Maro-kun?"

"Uh...nature called."

"See? Told you!" Usatchi happily let out a courageous laugh in front of her face, which annoyed her even more.

"Guys, I think we should get going," Marogito pointed out, grabbing his backpack and hooked it on the shoulder. "It's getting late."

"Yeah, let's do that."

Thao nodded and headed to Otsuro. Looking at his current state, made her heart drowned in the gloom. He was such a handsome adorable little boy, be he had gone through a lot. From a war, to the sealing of a free Spirit, to another war, to another ambush happened just few days ago.

When they were all set, Thao made a hand sign and transformed once again into black liquid and dove back in to the river. Usatchi soon followed up also changing form a mystical merman.

Marogito nodded and let go of the seal and soon the dome disappeared within the air, before following them by speeding above the water.

"Marogito, why don't you use the cloud?" Usatchi asked when he noticed him running along the river.

Marogito just shrugged and shook his head, "Too tired."

.

.

Thao could feel the difference temperature and the thicker substance along the way. Just few more swimming and they would safely arrive at the lake of Konohagakure. She looked down to see Otsuro was still sleeping peacefully in her arms. She knew the hibernation would break away in any minutes.

"Thao-chan, we're almost there! I could detect Konoha from here." Marogito yelled out, a small smile crafted on his mouth.

Marogito knew it was pointless to talk to her in her condition. But he knew she was very delighted. Marogito mentally laughed when Usatchi jumped out of the river and did a silly backflip thing, before submerging back to the water.

 _I guess this is it_ , he thought as he made an abrupt stop, creating a splash of water.

Thao and Usatchi quickly stopped and turned to Marogito. "Maro, what is it?"

"A part of me doesn't want to do this. Otsuro is only a child." He said with a very sorry expression.

Thao narrowed her eyes and hugged Otsuro closer, "Maro-kun?"

" **But in another side, it is a mission.** " Marogito said in a very different voice. As if he had two different personalities. "It is a mission then."

"Maro, what are you talking about—,"

Out of nowhere Marogito transformed into a weird Venus Fly plant. Thao and Usatchi both widened their eyes as the plant opened up and they noticed a human inside it with a distinctive straight line separated the white and black skin.

"We shall meet again, yes?" Zetsu smirked and walked closer to the two ninjas, already in their human figures, " **Now the boy!** "

"Thao-chan, run!" Usatchi yelled out and moved the water to dodge a strike from the plant. "Water element—Thaomi, GO!"

She wanted to. But her legs just wouldn't move. Usatchi didn't have any option as he waved his hand to her making a wave towards her and Otsuro. Tightened her grip on Otsuro, they were swallowed by the wave as it pushed them away from the scene. Thao didn't have any more options other than transformed back into liquid and swam away.

She could hear Usatchi's water shockwaves at the background. She had the urge to go back and help him, but her body just wouldn't cooperate.

And the next thing she knew, Otsuro was awake.

"Thao-nechan, where are we?"

"Underwater. We're going to Konoha right now."

"Konoha." Otsuro sleepily looked around and nodded, realizing that he was underwater. He then looked up to her. "Where are the others?"

Thao's throat suddenly filled with heavy lump and she tried so hard to speak. "They...they will catch up later. Otsuro, can you help me?"

"What is it, nechan?"

"I want you to activate echolocation. See if someone is following us."

Otsuro's face showed a ripe confuse, but he did it without being told twice. This was one of many abilities when becoming a host of a powerful spirit. With the technique, he could see everything very easily, "Nobody, nechan."

"Oh thank Spirit—,"

"—but I remember that shark doesn't supposed to swim in the river."

"Shark?"

"Uh huh," Otsuro pointed his finger behind her. "There."

Thao turned her head and her eyes spotted a giant blue shark was closing the gap between them. _Although I think shark doesn't supposed to swim in the river_. But it just happened so quickly. With a blink of an eye, the shark sped up and stroke ahead. Thao managed to get away, barely got a bite by its sharp teeth.

"Blood release; black torpedo!" three black torpedo burst out from her liquid pool and shot them to the shark. The torpedoes hit it, and Thao wasn't finish. The black liquid surrounding the shark wrapped itself and killed it.

Feeling slightly relieved, she increased her speed, even though she was short of chakra.

Otsuro frowned at the sudden flight movement; he gripped tightly on Thao's shirt. "Thao-nechan, what's going on?"

"That is a bad shark. We need to run away from it. Just calm down, Otsuro. We're almost there." Thao said, hoping that Otsuro would calm down. Ironically she couldn't even calm herself.

The speed only last for few minutes. Thao looked around her liquid to see stain of red in the middle of a black pool. And that moment Thao knew she was getting slower and weaker.

And then she felt it, Konoha's great lake.

"Thao-chan, is that Konoha?!" Otsuro squealed, also felt a very different, calm, and submissive water condition.

Realizing that their new home was just only couple of miles away, Thao had the urge to speed up to maximum. She could see herself jumping out and landed safely on the ground. Konoha's ground. She didn't mind to pass out after that, but at least she and Otsuro could make it safely to the village. That was her number one priority, for Otsuro's sake.

"You celebrate too early, Thaomi-chan."

Suddenly a shark-like human appeared next to her, with the undoubted Samehada on his hand. Otsuro screamed and hugged her sister very tightly. Thao shot kunais to him, but the Samehada beat her to it.

Thao cried when she felt the sword split her into two smaller pools, breaking the transformation and turned her to human. The sword also split the bond between Thao and Otsuro, leaving Otsuro guard-less and floating underwater.

"Well that was quick." Kisame laughed and swam towards Otsuro. "Come here boy!"

Otsuro shrieked and swam deeper into the river, but his small arms and legs were no match for Kisame's larger ones. Just before Kisame could reach the boy's foot, black water wrapped itself around Kisame. Kisame tried to break loose, but it was only getting tighter.

"Chissoku no jutsu!" Thao yelled her lungs out as the black water squeezed his body. Kisame cried in pain, feeling his body being pressed in awkward angles.

"Otsuro, go!" she said, trying so hard to hold the jutsu.

"But nechan—,"

"Just go—ugh!" Thao winched in pain and saw her body. Her shirt was ripped off and a huge fresh cut appeared in the middle of her stomach. To make things even worse, there was red blood pouring out of her wound, lots of red blood.

"Ah, the smell of red blood. Perfect time for my sharks to eat!"

Thao's eyes widened in horror when she realized Kisame had broken out from her jutsu. _Damn chakra!_

"Otsuro, GO! NOW!" Thao yelled out one last time, before attempting to attack two bigger sharks were summoned and zoomed towards her.

Seeing her sister helplessly dodged the sharks only made Otsuro scarier even more. He could see very clearly that she was running out of chakra. There was no way she would surpass the attack. He couldn't just leave her behind.

"Hey kid, if I were you I'd listen to your sister." Kisame said, laughing at the cornered kid at the bottom of the river. "I mean, you really don't want to stay here."

"You shut up!" Thao let out a cry when one of the sharks bit her shoulder, bleeding in red. "Otsuro, just—argh!"

Soon, Thao was on the edge of her limit. Her opened eyes slowly drifted away She felt her body began to get lighter and her senses began to slide away.

Out of blue she felt her lighter. As if someone had pulled out the weight on her shoulder, in this case, the sharks. She tried to open her eyes only to see something fast jumping here and there. What? Marogito? Usatchi? She couldn't tell as her vision started to blur away.

The last thing she saw was a blurry figure swimming towards her. She felt herself being held and suddenly feeling threatened by the sudden contact. But there was nothing she could do because then the darkness took over.

.


	4. Chapter 4

.

"What happened to her?" a woman voice asked, once she had entered the hospital room.

"We found her drowning in the river. By the time we arrived, the attacker had fled out of the scene." A guy's voice took his turn.

"Hm. Any information about it?"

"According to the little boy, she was attacked by, a shark-guy with a big living sword." a guy answered and let out a sigh. "And by the bite marks all over her body, I believe she was fighting against none other than Kisame Hoshikage, one of the Seven Swordsmen and also one of—,"

"The Akatsuki member." The woman continued and sighed, leaning on a table. She folded her arms under her chest and turned to the guy before her. "What about the child?"

"Sakura had him checked up and he is fine. The last I saw him, he was eating ramen with Naruto." He shrugged.

"Good. I want to talk to the kid if he comes back." She said, checking the IV tube and other medical thing attached on her body, before turned around and headed to the door. "Call Sakura if you need anything."

"I have one more question, Tsunade-sama," Shikamaru looked at her in a respectful manner. "Who are they? And why you allowed them to stay in here."

"I know them." Tsunade turned around once more and glanced at the girl on the bed, attempted on moving her blanket higher to her chin. "About a week ago, I made an alliance with a group of rogues."

"Rouge ninjas? Wh—,"

"I'm not finished!" Tsunade glared at him, making Shikamaru put his head down in regret. "They were not ordinary rogues hiding away. Amongst them was the Kuroichi Clan."

"Kuroichi Clan? I thought they were...dead." Shikamaru tried to remember the news he heard about a big war occurred years ago. "Yamigakure has vanished."

"I thought so too. But apparently there were survivors." Tsunade sighed. "Shikamaru, Kuroichi Clan is one of the most powerful and rare shinobi in the world. It would be a total waste not to pay attention to them."

"Oh." Shikamaru couldn't help but to stare in amazement as Tsunade explained the whole deal.

"Plus, we are short of shinobi. So I guess that'll do." Tsunade said and turned around. "Anyway, I need to go."

Shikamaru nodded and watched the Hokage left the room. He sighed and sat down at a couch on the corner of the room. For some reason he regretted not lying to her about any busyness. And now he was stuck in this room with the comatose girl to look after.

"What a drag." He grunted and leaned back, "So, Kuroichi Clan? Black Bloods, eh? You must be strong. You're in one of the most fearful clans because they are immortal."

Shikamaru glanced at the bed and frowned. "Yet you are here now, cuts and bruises all over the place, barely living."

"But I didn't die, did I?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and walked up to the bed to find her eyes closed still. "You're waking?"

"I've been awaked since forever," she opened her eyes and tilted her head slightly to see him. "And thank you the compliment."

"You're still barely living to me." Shikamaru smirked and shrugged. "I'm Nara Shika—,"

"—Maru, I know. I'm not deaf. I'm Thao and I think you already knew by surname." Thao put on a weak smile, before looking around the room. "Konoha Hospital then?"

"Yeah. The guards got a signal coming from the forest. We checked for any possibilities of trespassing. Then we found you and your brother," Shikamaru shrugged. "And two other rogue ninjas."

"Oh! Can I see them?" Thao sat up straight, started pulling tubes and cables away from her body. "Ouch! That hurts."

"Hey, you shouldn't do that!"

"I'm immortal. You said it yourself." With that Thao threw the blanket away and jumped out of the bed.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes when he realized that she was only wearing a white tube-top covering her chest. But he noticed that the bruises and cuts had disappeared from her skin. Her bite marks were faded as well, even the deepest one around the shoulder. He then darted to the bloody wound on her bare stomach, only to see a fainting scar. He was mesmerized with the healing scar and her two packs abs. Following the long thin scar disappearing under her pants, he tried to hide a smirk as human nature kicked in.

"Like what you see, huh?" She could see a faint blush on Shikamaru's cheek, but he played it cool. She grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around her body as her cape.

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Nah, I'm good." She said heading towards the exit. "Now, lead the way."

"But—,"

"Or I should find them myself, then." She smiled and walked out the room and took a turn to the right.

"Geez." Shikamaru mentally slapped himself, forgetting how women were all troublesome, no matter where they came from. "Take left."

Shikamaru watched as the girl walked pass the door, now heading to the right direction. Shikamaru just let out a heavy sigh and followed her.

Arriving at a room, Thao took a peek on a small glass window on the door and noticed a very familiar figure laying lifelessly on the bed. She slowly entered the room, the Nara boy slowly followed suit.

Instantly she heard a faint beeping from the small monitor on the table near the bed, giving a slight relief in her mind. But her face still filled with sorrow as she sat down and leaned in.

Marogito's body was fully covered with blanket up high to his chin. But it didn't cover a big scar on his cheek and neck. Thao was so sure that underneath the blanket, she would see more scars on his body. Thao breathed out as she reached out for his hand.

"We found few miles away from you, being trapped inside a poisonous plantation. He was stabbed and battered in every corner of his body. Luckily no vital organs were harmed." Shikamaru explained. "The doctors were able to take out every single poison inside his body. He was clean and sterile, but still in a weak shape. Hokage-same said he'll need a week or two to recover."

"We were resting near the river when Marogito disappeared and appeared out of nowhere. He said he was pissing." Thao merely nodded, her eyes still stuck in the pale body. "When we continued, Marogito changed to a weird creature and things went wild since then. I guess the criminal had him."

"I see." Shikamaru nodded, gathering information as much as he could get. Incase if Tsunade pissed off by how he let her out of her room, he could talked back. Or that was what he hoped for.

"Can I meet the other one?"

"Of course. Follow me."

The distance was only few doors away. In no time Thao reached another similar wooden door. She, again, took a peek from the glass pane before burst inside.

The room was similar as well. To distinguish, the room was filled with what looked like a medic-nin doing her job checking on Usatchi.

The Konoha medic ninja snapped to the door and sense a sudden break-in from a girl with blanket. But when Shikamaru appeared behind her, she dropped down slightly.

"Thaomi-san is it?" the medic ninja smiled and waved her in. "I'm Haruno Sakura. I was just about to check on your friend here. Shouldn't you resting at your room?"

Thao just shrugged and pointed to the guy behind her. "He said nothing."

"Wait, what?!" Shikamaru's eyes shot at her, only to be shushed by Sakura. Shikamaru just looked at both kunoichi in disbelieve.

"But, I'm fine Sakura." Thao said, opening her cape to show now fading scar, much to Sakura's shocked look. "So how's he doing?"

"Err...well, good thing he is found. He appeared to fight the same person who attacked your other friend. He also got poisoned. Some of his chakra nerves broke down." Sakura explained, a glimpse of sorrow shone across her eyes. "But so far we have fixed half of them. The other lasts were in pretty bad shape, but he'll be fine."

"Glad to hear that, thanks Sakura-san." Thao nodded and walked out to the other side of the bed. She sighed and rested her hand on his lightly, occasionally rubbing his knuckles. Fixing his blanket, she walked away and turned to her tour-guide.

"Now," Thao looked up to the bored boy leaning on the door. "Can I see Otsuro then?"

.

.

If she by chance could step out of the hospital, this would be Thao's first time looking directly at Konoha Village. And sure it took her breath away.

This village was huge! Probably bigger than her hometown, bigger than the island she stayed in. She looked around and saw the primary village-ish stuff. She was even star-struck when she spotted some cool buildings. She couldn't help but started to day-dream.

"Geez, you're weird." Shikamaru shrugged.

"I guess I've been hiding in the forest for Spirit knows how long." She let out a small laughed, remembering her time back at the island. "And my village is ruined. So...yeah."

"Spirit?"

"Umm, Kuroichi believe. It's like our god or something like that." She explained with a hidden sorrow look on her eyes, but it didn't escape Shikamaru's sense. Not wanting to make things worse, he started explaining about the village.

Along the way they met with Ino who was watering her flowers in the shop. Thao shook her hand and decided to buy a white lily. But then she realized she didn't bring any money. Shikamaru sighed and forced to let out money to his own teammate.

She also asked for a hair tie. Shikamaru snorted and glance at her short hair. Short hair. But she insisted. So he just simply gave his other hair tie as she struggled to tie her rather short hair. It was even shorter than Sakura's and Sakura couldn't even tie her hair properly. Shikamaru began to think girls were just same as others.

"Oh come on. You grump a lot." Thao said, finally managed to tie her hair into a barely tied-up low ponytail.

"What a drag." he sighed and tucked his hands in his pants' pocket. "It's not that you complain about it the whole time."

"Ah, you're right." She said and continued their journey to the Ramen Shop, or wherever Otsuro was now.

Her eyes soon were now hypnotized by dresses and clothing show-case in front of a shop. "That's a pretty dress."

Shikamaru's eyes darted to a sleeveless floral dress went down to the calf. And soon his face reddened. "Uh, that's a sleeping gown."

"Oh, of course!" Thao reluctantly smiled and looked at the dresses on display.

"As you can see, that's our clothing production store. It also provides on ninja gears. Maybe you can buy new clothes." Shikamaru looked at her from head to toe. "You can fabricate the blanket too."

That made Thao laughed and shook her head, wrapping the blanket tighter around her body. "You're funny, Shikamaru-san."

"Yeah? Well—,"

"Thao-nechan!"

They both turned around to see Otsuro running towards her, with Popsicles on hands. Thao couldn't help but smiled and let go of the blanket, despite the lack of clothing, before both of her arms embrace Otsuro's jumpy hug.

"Thao-nechan, you finally awake!" Otsuro let go of the hug and showed her a Popsicle. "Naruto said I could have two Popsicles. So I bought you one. I hope you like."

"Aw, thank you otouto." Thao smiled and took the dripping Popsicle in her grasp. She then stood up and met eyes with a spiky blonde behind him. "You must be Naruto, I'm Thao. And thank you for the Pop."

"Meh, it's just a Popsicle. No biggie." His big grin reminded her of Usatchi's happy face, which she wouldn't see in a while.

Naruto sensed the sudden chakra change and frowned. "You don't like the Pop?"

"Wha—no, no! I like," Thao stammered and licked the Popsicle. "Yum, this is good."

"Thao-nechan, who is he?" Otsuro pointed to a guy behind her.

Thao smiled and introduced him. "This is Shikamaru."

"Shikamaru-san," Otsuro politely bowed and reached for his hand and shook it. "I'm Otsuro, nice to meet you."

Shikamaru nodded and patted his head with his other arm, "Same with me."

"Nechan?"

"What is it, Otsuro?" Thao squatted down in order to level her eyes to his.

"Are Usatchi-san and Marogito-san will be okay?"

"Of course! I already checked on them. Well, they need a bit of a rest. But they're doing well now." Thao smiled and wiped some stain of chocolate around his lips.

Otsuro grinned widely, but soon it died down when his mind got stuck with something else. Turning to his sister, he frowned slightly. "What about Kabushiro-niisan? Sukii-nesan? The twins—,"

Asking herself the same question, Thao's mind respectively drew back to the time where Gionn demanded to be killed, Sukii ordered her to go to Konoha, and other stuff that happened after that. It had been two days, two agonizing days, and still no sign of any moving.

But no matter what happened, she would never lose any hopes.

Looking down at him, she smiled and patted his head with her free hand. "I believe they'll come for us."

.


	5. Chapter 5

.

Fire and smokes were dancing in the moonlight. Blood filled out the empty canvas of a ruined city. Cries and roars rang as a repeated song for the innocent ears.

Eleven year old Thaomi didn't really understand much of the situation. But she knew this was not the one for a genin like her. So she just sat quietly inside the bunker. She noticed she wasn't the only one. Cousins at her age were also sitting, completely clueless about the situation. Thao glanced around, before looking up to her mother, tightly hugging a bundle of cloth with Otsuro in her arms.

"Mother, what's going on outside?" she asked. "Where's father?"

Yushita smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, bringing her close. "Father is on a very serious mission."

"A mission? I want to help—,"

"Thao, my love. Your father is a strong man. He will succeed on this mission, just like he usually does." Yushita lightly patted her head. "Besides, he already has some help. Like uncle Tama, uncle Kabu, any other strong shinobi."

Hearing that, Thao automatically glanced at Kabushiro who was holding something on his hands. He looked up and met her eyes. He gave a short sad smile to her before his eyes glued again to the thing.

The ground suddenly shook by its own. The Kuroichi Clan all froze on spot didn't dare to move. Thao frowned and immediately attached herself to her mother. A small whimper could be heard from her arms. Thao lifted her head slightly to see the two year old Otsuro was about to cry. She urged to remove the dirt on his face that crumbled from the ceiling because of the explosion outside.

"Shuush, can you hear that?!" Someone whispered out, but still loud enough for everybody to hear. All of the people instantly fell silent as they tried to hear something. Footsteps. All of the young men, including Kabushiro all lined up in front of the entrance, preparing them if there was any Akatsuki member breaking in to the bunker.

Bodies tensed up when a loud bang shook the door, but not enough to break it. In years since the bunker made, nobody could ever break it, even for the slightest.

But that day was not going to be the same as years ago.

After some explosions, Thao saw a huge crack crafted in the middle of the door. People started to get worried and began to have panic attack. Masada, as the head's wife, ordered all healthier Kuroichi to prepare for a fight with the trespassers.

Thao watched as all young jounin and chuunin joined the line in front of the door. She was somehow relieved when her mother didn't volunteer. Yushita only pushed them farther from the door to have a safer distance. Thao soon joined in with the twins who were trying so hard not to cry.

A red fiery light penetrate to the huge on the door, completely bewildering the people inside. Yushita's eyes filled with shock, but briefly glanced at some adults in the room. With a nod, Yushita hugged both Otsuro and Thao closer to her body.

"Thao my love, I want you to close your eyes for a moment."

Thao wanted to ask, but instead she just closed her eyes. Yushita kissed both Otsuro and Thao's head before casting a jutsu to make them turn to liquid. Yusitha then guided the black dense water in to her mouth to keep her child safe.

Thao couldn't do much, other that hugging Otsuro in her arms as her mother had told. But soon she heard a loud animal roar. Very loud, she needed to close her ears not wanting the have a broken eardrum.

The roar belonged to Kamasosso, a humongous bat-like beast, who just broke out from its seal.

Fugushi had tried so hard to keep him inside him. But Kamasosso sensed the outside threat from the Akatsuki and started to lose control. He broke loose and Fugushi just lost control of the seal anymore.

Now Kamasosso was flying freely across the sky. Withholding a strong dark chakra from the Holy Spirit world, he easily eliminated hundreds of white clay and other Akatsuki ambushes. It was grateful to have Kamasosso to come out and save the village.

But Kamasosso was just a wild spirit beast. And a spirit didn't belong in a real world. Panicking, Kamasosso started to lose control of his chakra and destroying everything on his path. The Kuroichi elderly, including Fugushi, tried so hard to strike him down without hurting him.

And one way or another, this spiritual creature needed a new vessel to survive in the reality life.

Thao felt a strong sway on her liquidize body. In reality, Yushita just fell with a loud thud after Kamasosso accidentally sent some chakra balls to destruct. Yushita tried to get up, but soon realized that she broke her leg. She looked at Kamasosso to see him aiming another chakra to a building, just inches away from her. Writhing in pain, she tried so hard to crawl away from the targeting building.

A man lunged into the scene and snaked arms on her back and under her knee and jumped back out, just in time before he chakra ball hit the wall. If he had been late just a second, the two of them would have been dead.

Fugushi decided to land both of them inside a house, far enough from Kamasosso. Panting, he leaned in to rip of her pants to see the broken leg. He looked around for something and came back with a long wood. He broke it into half and sandwiched her leg between them. Ignoring her cries, he tied up the cloth of her pants to secure the wood.

He was too much with her leg; he didn't even realize a huge scar across his chest with red bloods pouring down.

"Honey, your chest—,"

"Doesn't matter. I'll be fine." Fugushi said, covering his chest with his kimono. "We need to find a way to take him down."

A roar erupted as Kamasosso struck more balls to destroy the village.

"He's out here for too long. We need to seal him immediately!" Fugushi looked out from the window and sighed. "It must have been like this when it was sealed in me."

Yushita frowned and placed a hand on his cheek, rubbing her thumb against the skin. Fugushi grabbed her hand and leaned his forehead with hers. A moment like this could at least calm them down.

"Mother!" Yushita's body arched backward as she vomited black blood to his body. But soon the blood turned shaped into a curled-up, panicking little girl, holding a baby on her arms. "Ma! Otsuro just stopped crying. I don't know—father!"

Fugushi's arms had hugged his beloved children, even before they both had noticed him. Thao crashed her body with his, embracing the hug. Yushita smiled at the scene, but soon her eyes flickered in sorrow.

"What happened to Otsuro?"

Thao roughly shook her head and carefully handed over the bundle of baby to her arms. "I don't know. He was crying and then he stopped. I don't know, mother."

Fugushi's held his wrist and frowned. Yushita started to let tears running down the side of her cheek. Not knowing the reason, Thao started to cry as well.

"There's a way to resurrect...," Fugushi didn't even know if he was asking or ordering or just plain saying. "I am going seal it in him, Honey."

Yushita looked down at the baby, at the same time hearing the roar of Kamasosso. "Are you—,"

"Not only Kamasosso will have a vessel, but Otsuro will live." Fugushi placed a hand on his wife's cheek once more. "Please. All I want is for our boy and girl to survive this."

Yushita sighed and took his hand to her chest. "Seal him."

Thao looked back and forth to her parent, trying so hard to understand. There were times they would just talk in a quiet voice, sometimes in whisper. But now they were saying a lot of things at once that Thao didn't get the meaning.

Thao didn't even realize that she was being carried to the corner of the room. Thao wanted so much to ask, but she just couldn't do it.

"Thao my beautiful baby girl, I want you to stay down here until I ask you to come out." Fugushi said putting her under a table. Then, he opened his palm and made a dome around her. "You understand, yes?"

"Yes Father." Thao frowned. "Is everything alright, Father?"

"Everything is going to be alright, always think of that." Fugushi smiled to his beloved daughter. "I love you, Thaomi."

"I love you too, Father."

Fugushi inserted his head inside the dome. Thao didn't need to be told as she scooted closer to let him kiss her head. Thao looked up and kissed his cheeks in return. The two hugged each other, and Thao felt his arms wrapped tighter around her body. But she didn't mind. Unbeknown to her, Fugushi just made his last hug to her.

Thao watched as her father retreated back to the center of the room. He made some hand-signs and a tribal circle appeared around them. Soon she spotted some familiar faces like uncle Tamashi and uncle Kabushi. They both looked at her dome and gave a small smile, before continuing on the mission.

The event went so fast, but Thao remembered a blinding light coming from the inside of the circle. As far as she could remembered, all her family and uncle Tamashi were inside. And then the sky went darker. Kamasosso had attracted by the light as he made his way approaching the house. Thao had been told about her beastly ancestor, but seeing it face-to-face was pretty amazing.

A loud roar echoed for many times of that day. Kamasosso looked down at his future vessel. He noticed a strange little human down there. Kamasosso had met a lot of vessels in his life but this would be the first time he saw a lifeless little boy inside the circle. Kamasosso hesitated, but he didn't have any choice in order to survive.

"Fugushi, get ready!" Tamashi yelled out. In just few seconds and Kamasosso would be inside the vessel. Fugushi needed to seal him immediate. "NOW!"

Fugushi placed a hand on Otsuro's little stomach, holding the burning sensation assaulting their skins. Yushita started to cry, watching Otsuro's small body shook in pain. It was too much for a mother to see, but she couldn't look away.

Tamashi sensed something was not right. Truth, it was risky to create a host out of a baby, but it was more dangerous when the host was dead. It took more than an ordinary seal.

Kamasosso was shocked when he found out an empty soul inside the body. He began to feel the discomfort and attempted to come out from the body.

"He's rejecting. Fugushi, keep your position! Yushita, hold Otsuro in place!" Tamashi ordered.

Once all set, Tamashi's hand was surrounded with black flames. Without warning, he pressed his hand directly towards Otsuro's chest. As predicted, Otsuro's body shook with more force. Black blood squirted from his mouth and nose. Fugushi was caught off guard when the blood spilled on his hand, but he didn't budge. He trusted Otsuro with all his life.

Another blinding light appeared from the inner circle, but soon died out. Thao thought their mission was done. Uncle Tamashi was kneeling down, coughing red blood, obvious to the world he was draining a lot of chakra.

Thao felt the dome around her started to become red and melted down, becoming red pool surrounding her. Thao raised her eyebrows and very slowly walked towards her parents.

"Father, I can come out?"

"Yes, Thaomi. Come here." Instead it was Kabushi who answered. He had knelt down next to her father for support. Thao reluctantly walked to them and sat down next to her father. But Kabushi stopped her. "Sit next to your mother."

Thao leaned over to see Otsuro was crying. His body was covered in bloods, red and black. She wiped off the stain of blood on his face. A figure kneeling down to carry Otsuro. After Sukii scooted him on her arms and began pacing around to sooth him down.

Thao crawled for few inches and leaned to her mother. Thao's confusedness grew more when her mother collapsed to her side. Thao's eyes widened as she caught her shoulder no matter how uncomfortable it was. Thao then moved and laid her mother on the floor.

"Thao my love," Thao frowned on how weak her mother was. A red blood ran down from her nose to the cheek. Yushita lifted a hand to touch wipe it, and Thao immediately did it for her. "You know I will always love you right?"

"I love you too, Mother."

Thao's eyes began to get watery and she tried so hard not to let them drop to her mother's beautiful face.

But soon the beautiful face of her was covered with a white cloth as she rested in peace next to her beloved husband.

.

.

Looking up at the moonlight in the sky was like looking straight to Otsuro's eyes. It reminded her so much of his pale yellow eyes, the eyes of a living Spirit. Sometimes she wondered if there was any difference with her brown orbs other than color. What Otsuro saw with those eyes? Was there any special effect? Night vision? X-ray maybe?

Shrugging, Thao sighed and leaned in to the metal bars. From up there, Konoha seemed so small, yet so big. She tried to memorize Ichiraku's Ramen Shop which turned out to be more than meet her eyes. She tried yesterday. Naruto and his hungry stomach were practically dragging her along. And sure she didn't do much other than sat down and ate, feeling a bit of joy when he was paying all.

Otsuro definitely enjoyed his first days in the village with Popsicles and stuff. Soon he became adored by many. But for Thao, it was harder than she had expected.

Reminded, she and the Kuroichi Clan had been isolated in a remote island for five consecutive years. The trip to a small civilization could only finger-counted. It was not that the clan was an anti-social. Thao was so not an anti-social. It was just the bigger possibilities of encountering more threats other than the Akatsuki had overwhelmed her. People could be bad, no matter how good they were. It was human nature.

But no big deal. It was only encouraging her to protect Otsuro even more. She, after all, had made a promise to her mother.

"It's quite a nice spot you got." She knew the voice very well she didn't need to turn around. Kabushiro just simply walked up to her side, copying her movement. "It's getting late, you know."

"Oh I'm so scared." Thao mockingly laughed. "Please."

Kabushiro smirked and sat down on the trail. From the corner of her eyes she watched as he pulled out something from his pocket.

"Sukii asked me to give you this." He took her hand and handed it over. "She hoped you'd understand."

Thao looked down at her palm. A black flower-shape hairpin stared back at her, with its long rope securing in the middle. Thao smiled weakly and put on the necklace around her neck.

"So, any stories behind it?"

"Well...she gave this as my birthday present. Turns out it was used to spy on me. I didn't even realize that until she told me." Thao laughed, remembering how smart Sukii was comparing to the guy beside her.

Soon the laugh died down as the two just silently stared at the moon.

"I'm sorry." Kabushiro started. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect our people."

"Kabushiro—,"

"I couldn't even protect my own sister. Fucking head clan? Tch. I doubt myself."

"Kabu—,"

"I don't know why dad trusted me so hard with this. I am just too naïve. I am sure had disappointed him—,"

"Kabushiro, look at me!"

Kabu weakly looked down to meet Thao's eyes already filled with tears. Feeling unwell, he snapped his head away, started to get watery himself. Thao frowned and moved his arm around her shoulder, snuggling to him closer.

"You're not the only one hurting by this. Just stop blaming yourself." Thao's breathed hitched to the point she almost blew up. But she kept herself together, not wanting to get really emotional.

She knew what she said didn't make him any better. But she was there to make him realize his surrounding, no matter how bad it was. Kabushiro didn't dare to look at her. He just weakly glanced at her shoes, which was enough to make him cry.

"But I still believe in you. You are not disappointing anybody. Not even Uncle Kabu and Aunt Masada. Not even Sukii." She hiccuped between her lines, taking the pause to grab the pendant of her necklace. "You know why she gave me this? Because she wanted me to know that she'll be watching me, always."

Kabushiro looked down at the hairpin, before shakily reached down to hold it.

"And you know, she is watching us right now," Thao smiled slightly and looked at the moonlight, "Wherever she is."

Kabushiro sniffed some snot. Now he felt like a little kid losing a candy. But her cousin here just came and gave him something more valuable than some sweets. She gave him a certain trust that he definitely needed.

Snorting once again, he wiped down his raining tears and laughed. "Thanks mommy."

Thao jokingly frowned and pushed him away. "Geez, you're welcome."

"Okay, enough talk. We need to rest. Tomorrow is going to be a new day." Kabu said, tightened the arm around her shoulders. "Have you met Hokage yet?"

"I did! I can't believe she is fifty." Thao exclaimed. "She was like, what? Tamashi's age, right?"

"She also has big...you know what I mean." Kabushiro suddenly burst out laughing. Thao looked up and arched a brow to him. "What?"

"You sounded like a pervy old-hag looking for a mate." Thao pushed him away. "Shoo! Shoo!"

"I'm not dirty-minded. I'm just being...classic." Kabushiro chuckled and shook her hair. "Come on now."

Thao shrugged and they reluctantly walked towards the hospital roof door. Soon they disappeared into the building and split up to their own rooms.

It had been few hours since Kabushiro's team got to Konoha safely. It had been few hours since Thao lost more faces out of her life for good.

A good rest was definitely needed to welcome tomorrow's sunrise.

.

 _ **A bit of notes at the bottom; Kamasosso is actually a Japanese name for Camazotz which is my inspiration for the Spirit Beast which you can ask Mr. Google about it. Yep he knows everything ~ Tir**_


	6. Chapter 6

.

"All gathered? Good." Lady Tsunade nodded. Her eyes scanned the room to see all informed ninjas stood in silence. "I'm here to announce the arrival of an alliance from Water County. We have Kuroichi Kabushiro as the captain. Please introduce your team."

"My pleasure, Hokage-sama." Kabushiro stiffly bowed down, faintly hearing giggles behind him. As he bowed down he looked over to see the twins and Thao were bickering at the back of the row. Kabushiro smirked. "Allow me to introduce my family first, Kuroichi Tamashi and his sons, Reiko and Tsaiko, Kuroichi Thaomi with her brother, Otsuro."

As if getting spotlight on a stage, all eyes turned to the group of ninjas at the back wearing their clan's coat.

Thao was caught off guard and suddenly forgot what to do. Kabushiro screwed up. The Kuroichi Clan was supposed to be introduced later. Thao just swallowed the heavy lump inside her throat and bowed down along with the mentioned names.

Some of the Konoha ninjas seemed surprised by their appearance of the supposedly dead clan. Kabushiro noticed the ripe of confusedness and began his explanation. Thao swore he listened Kabushiro practiced it at his room.

Thao stood there in boredom. She looked around to see the Konoha shinobi who were listening sharply. But deep down she knew some of them were just as bored as she was.

She spotted Shikamaru and his friends. She didn't remember their names, but one of them was definitely a Hyuuga. Actually there were about three Hyuugas in the room.

She saw Shikamaru awkwardly compressed a yawn. Thao smirked and secretly loosened the bandage on her hand. She let few drops of black blood on the floor. She watched as the liquid went unnoticed to the corner of the room, crawling under shadows and finally made its way to Shikamaru's

 _Psst Shikamaru!_

Shikamaru felt something small crawling around his neck. When he reached for it, a small hiss could be heard. Shikamaru looked down at his hand to see a small spider staring back at him with its six eyes. Shikamaru shrieked and jolted away.

"Shikamaru-san, is there anything wrong?!" Tsunade called out and the spotlight turned to him instead. Shikamaru gulped and stood there with paling face, his heartbeat drumming wildly inside.

"No, no. I'm sorry. Please carry on."

Shikamaru let out a huge relief when Tsunade continued with the meeting. He took the opportunity to examine the spider again.

"Shino, is this your insect?"

"No. I don't breed spider." He said in a rather monotone pitch. "It's not even an insect."

"Huh?"

"Spider is an anthropoid. It is the largest order of arachnid—,"

"Yeah, yeah. Okay." Shikamaru groaned and turned away. "What a drag."

Neji glanced at the Nara kid, didn't really know what to do. But when he saw the spider, he narrowed his eyes. In a swift movement, Neji squeezed the spider between his fingers. The spider exploded into a black pool on Shikamaru's hand.

"What the?!"

"That black liquid is a chakra." Neji said, still glued on the ongoing conversation between Tamashi and the jounins.

"Whose chakra?"

Neji looked at the pool, secretly activated his byakugan. He spotted a faint trail of chakra on the floor. He followed it across the room, to the corner of the room, and ended at a row of guests. "That girl."

Shikamaru glanced at Thao who was smiling like a complete baboon. She raised her hand and pointed to her hand, before pointing back to him. He raised an eyebrow in annoyance as she chuckled quietly at the back.

He felt something moving on his hand. He looked down to see a black baby bird.

"Shika-san." It chirped.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shikamaru whispered to the bird, but his eyes still locked on Thao's.

"I'm bored. And I think you're bored as well. So, nice to meet you."

"Hmph, you almost got me killed by Tsunade."

"You're welcome." The bird happily sang and flacked its wings. Shikamaru immediately clasped his hands together to shut it down. But soon he regretted when he felt its sharp beak poking to his exposed skin.

He winched slightly and glared at Thao who was wiggling her eyebrows, grinning ear to ear. "You need to stop—gah!"

Suddenly he yelped in pain and looked at his finger. The bird had turned to a miniature size of a snake and bit him.

"Shikamaru!"

"I'm so sorry. Something bit me. I'm so sorry." Shikamaru's face reddened as Tsunade rudely glared at him. He then felt a sticky blood coming from his finger. "I am truly sorry."

"What bit you?" Asuma asked, stepping closer to see his finger. "I don't see anything."

"It was...uh," Shikamaru hesitated, but he knew what to do. "It was her!"

Feeling like a celebrity, the spotlight turned to Thao once again. She gulped and slowly shifting herself to hid behind the twins. But they wouldn't let her going anywhere.

People gasped when they saw a small black snake swayed gracelessly on the floor. They watched as it went up to Thaomi's clothes and somehow was being sucked into her palm.

"Thaomi!" Kabushiro turned around and narrowed his eyes in disbelieve. "What did you do?!"

Thao's brown eyes suddenly became darker as her face drained blood, paler than usual. She felt like a total celebrity now, and the ninjas in the room were the photographers very curious about the latest gossip.

"I'm sorry, okay. I was bored and he was bored too." Thao shook her head and bowed down. "I deeply apologize."

Thao walked to the center of the room and bowed down to every single people inside. She turned to the Hokage's table giving the lowest bow she could do. And sure it took a while. Kabushiro mentally slapped himself. A long talk was booked after the meeting.

"Okay girl, back in line." Tsunade grunted. "You may be a guest, but this is my village. I demand some respect too."

Thao nodded and walked back to the row. Her eyes briefly met with Shikamaru's smirking eyes devilishly. He mouthed something out of reach, but she knew it meant no good.

"You too, Shikamaru!"

"Me?! But Hokage-sama, I was the victim here." Shikamaru nonchalantly raised his finger. "See?"

"You didn't show any respect either." Tsunade said in a threatening manner. "And you're not a guest. That doesn't help much."

"But—,"

"That's enough, Shikamaru." Asuma smile slightly, patting his shoulder, "Troublesome as always."

Shikamaru grunted and briefly made a contact with the giggling kunoichi at the back row. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Oh, one more thing," Tsunade added. "From now on, under twenties are dismissed, out of the room."

Shikamaru didn't know what to feel. Relieve? Disappointed? Bloody? Shrugging, he quietly walked to the exit along with the informed names. The walk seemed taking too much time and he used most of it only to glare the kunoichi in front of him. But as soon as he was out of the room, bombs sent away.

"You!"

"What?!"

"You almost got me killed by Tsunade!"

"We're on the same page, then."

"Geez woman—,"

"Troublesome."

"That's my line!"

"Would you two STOP?!" Shikamaru and Thao both turned their heads to Neji who was as cold as he usually was. "Bunch of kids."

Otsuro frowned as he watched the young man walked out from the view. He grunted and walked up to the twins. "I don't like him."

"Yeah? I thought he was a she." Reiko shrugged. "Hey, let's go get some ramen."

"Ramen!" Otsuro squealed as he walked up with Reiko to the exit.

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea." Tsaiko said, glancing at the clock on the wall. He then turned to the bickering ninjas behind. "Y'all coming?"

"Sure. Let's go." Thao nodded and rushed to the stair, dragging Shikamaru by the hand. Or so she thought.

"Thaomi-san, where are you taking me?"

Thao's eyes wrinkled in confused. She almost choked on her own saliva when she saw Shino instead of Shikamaru. Instinctively she pulled away and scanned her hand for any existence of bugs. "Gomen, Shino-san. I thought you were Shikamaru."

"Acceptable." He said as he pushed his sunglasses up to his nose. "I'm bored as well."

"See? We teenagers, don't need formal meetings like this." Thao exclaimed.

"Agreed." Shino barely nodded. "Should we wait for Shikamaru?"

Thao looked around to see Shikamaru lazily walking down the hallway, with the face of blank space. She snorted and shook her head. "Nah. He's too troublesome to be waited."

.

.

"I cannot believe you did that on your first day in Konoha!"

"Uhm, technically this's not my first day—,"

"Tsunade must have been very annoyed by you. She has the authority to kick us out the village." Kabushiro roughly scratched his head and sat down on a bench near the river. "We cannot lose this!"

"Relax. She won't." She moved at sat down on the empty spot next him. "She said she needed this alliance. She said, I quote, it would be a total waste not to pay attention to us."

"Yeah, but—,"

"I understand, Kabu-niisan. This alliance is very important, I know. I want our family to be safe too. Otsuro...," a pang of hurt crept in and she took a deep breath. "We've made promises to our parents, right?"

Kabushiro merely nodded. He lifted a special hitai-ate that always hiding under the coat. His father gave it to him just before he took his last breath. Since then Kabushiro was in charged as head-clan, even thought he was only as amateur jounin. People started to give him more respect that he never had. People started to look up for him. And that terrified him.

There was the time when Kabushiro lost so much faith, that he handed over the Kuroichi head-plate to Tamashi. But Tamashi ignored him. Kabushiro was a total copy of his brother, in any way, the looks, the personality; Kabushi once too gave up with the position. But looking back, he had done so much for the family. And Tamashi knew Kabushiro would also become one of the greatest head-clans in generations.

Soon Kabushiro stepped up and vowed not to back down again, even if his cousin got him in to trouble.

"Thaomi-chan, there you are!" The two turned around to see Midatsu appeared from a distance, carrying a bag on his shoulder. "I've been looking for you."

"Where are you going, Midatsu-sensei?" Thaomi nonchalantly asked.

"I guess Kabu didn't tell you." Midatsu raised an eyebrow and gave a questioning look to Kabushiro. "And don't call me that."

"Tell me what?"

"Well I guess I got carried away." Kabushiro's shrugged and turned to her. "You'll be staying at the Hyuuga compound."

Thao narrowed her eyes to his, begging for explanation, "Uh, since when?"

"Hokage-sama has reconstructed an old house for us. But it's not done yet. So, she let you stay at Hyuuga. And the family seemed okay with it."

"I am not."

"Why?" Midatsu asked, at the same time looking at his watch. "But whatever the reason is, you'll stay there. Now come. The Hyuuga is expecting us."

Midatsu handed over, or rather threw the bag to her. Thao yelped when it fell on her toes and rolled her eyes. She grabbed it and slipped the traps on her shoulders.

"Where're Otsuro staying?" she was now walking along side Midatsu.

"He'll be staying at the Hokage mansion with Tamashi-sama, since...you know, protection and stuff." Midatsu took a drag on his cigarette. "Usatchi and Marogito will be released in few days in time. They also will stay with you."

"Sure, sensei." She chuckled. "I don't like the Hyuuga boy. His eyes creeps me out."

"There will be a lot of eyes like his inside the house, just so you know." Midatsu rolled his eyes. "And don't call me that! You make me feel old."

"You are."

"We're only six years difference."

"Still are." Thao chuckled, randomly kicking pebbles off the road. "And I'm not talking about his kekkei genkai. I mean his personality and aura and stuff. He's as cold as a dry ice."

"You barely know him."

"I don't like him."

"You want to know what I think." Midatsu put an arm around her shoulder, only to get a head-shake as an answer. "I think you two will be in good terms."

"Bah—,"

"We're here!" Midatsu stopped and patted her head, before turning around. "See you."

"Sensei—,"

Thao looked up to see a huge traditional mansion towering above her. The first thing she noticed was the clan symbols coordinately covering the white cement walls guarding the house. She was greeted by some guards and they let her in. Gawking in awe, she couldn't imagine the inside of the house if the yard was this sophisticated. It had all kinds of plants, bushes, flowers, it even had ponds. It was like a private playground.

"You must be Thaomi-san!" two Hyuuga housekeepers, judging by the maid-like clothing, warmly greeted her. One took the bag whereas the female had taken off her coat. "Please, do come in. Don't be shy."

Thao definitely wasn't shy. She was just too overwhelmed that she couldn't move. But after a gentle push from the housekeeper, Thao walked stepped in.

"Ah, Thaomi-san! Please take a seat. Make yourself at home." A middle aged woman dressed in the most beautiful kimono she had ever seen greeted her. Thao hesitated before smiling weakly, feeling sudden insecurity about her own dress code. "I am sorry. We haven't cleaned much. It's still messy."

A mess? This neat and clean house was a mess. Seeing through Thao's eyes, the only thing that disorganized was a slightly shifted table cloak. Damn noble clan with its noble properties. Thao soon was drowned in a wave of jealousy.

"Um, hi." A familiar shorter girl with dark blue hair, possibly a year younger than her, appeared from a room. Even her soft-patterned pajama was so much better than her t-shirt and pants.

"Oh hey. We've met before, right? Uhm...," Thao scrunched her eyebrows to remember her name. Yeah, she met her at the field but she couldn't tell the name. It was not the first impression she wanted to create.

"This is my daughter, Hinata." The mother smiled and waved her in. When she walked in, another Hyuuga appeared in the view. "And that's Hanabi."

Hanabi smiled and bowed down, without any hint of shyness. On the other hand, there were hint of pinks on her cheeks that seemed to always be there when Hinata and Thao smiled and shook each other's hands.

"Oh right, what are we doing? Hinata, go show her the room."

"Yes mother." Hinata turned around, but stopped to look at the rather nervous guest. "I can show you our room. Please follow."

Thao nodded and followed the girl. Along the way they met fellow Hyuuga. Thao now remembered who she was. Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. Hinata-sama, they called her. That made sense.

"Um, you will stay at my room. B-but I only have one bed. So if y-you don't mind to sleep on a ma-mattress—,"

"No, no. I don't mind really." Thao shook her head. "This is such a big house you have. I don't think I can remember the way to the room."

"Yeah, I sometimes feel the same way." Hinata smiled as they walked further inside the house. "Oh, this is our training ground, if you're interested."

"Whoa, this is big!"

"It is. We spar here quite few times, although Neji and his team use it the most." Hinata explained as they went to a corner. Thao knew she had heard the name before. But her memory sucked.

"Neji—oof!"

A loud thump could be heard as Thao bumped with a human wall. Hinata made a barely heard gasp and offered a hand to help. "Thao-san, you okay?"

"Yep, I'm fine."

Thao got up, wiping her rear from dust which wouldn't bet there. Her eyes soon darted to the human wall. A byakugan eyes met hers, but no ordinary white eyes. Cold-hearted eyes with a cold expression glared at her.

"Are you going to apologize or not?"

Thao raised an eyebrow. Reminding once again why she didn't like this person, she grunted. "I'm not the only one to."

He narrowed his eyes and leaned in to have a better glare at her. "You are."

The simplest word coming from him was enough to make Thao shivered, not for the cold. Thao gulped and leaned out to avoid his deathly stare.

"N-Neji-san, you m-made our guest feels un-c-co-comfortable." Hinata stuttered. Thao honestly think it was a failing attempt to scare him.

Neji's eyes still stuck on Thao's, but they drifted to Hinata. He finally nodded and stepped back. "I'm sorry, Hinata-sama."

 _Where is his sorry to me?!_ Thao and Hinata watched as he walked passed them and disappeared after turning to a corner. Thao let out a deep sigh she never knew was holding. "That was Neji."

"Yes, my cousin. Sorry for the inconvenient." Hinata awkwardly looked around. "Uh, s-shall we go to my room now?"

Thao nodded and followed the kunoichi to the room. Even after a while, Thao still couldn't erase that cold stare and his rude manners. Thanked Spirit Hinata was there. Or else things could become much worse. So much for first impression.

.


	7. Chapter 7

.

Over the past few days of living in Konoha, Thao started to get to know things going on very well. Like how Naruto wanted to bring Sasuke, a fellow ninja who went for Orochimaru, back home so much, and other unimportant stuff; how Hinata turned out to have a big crush on Naruto, and Chouji's action when he was being called 'fat'. The twins tried once and they ended up bandaged. But that didn't mean they would stop. They never stopped.

She also found out that Kabushiro had signed Otsuro to enter an academy. She was not pleased by the decision, but he was thrilled as an eight years old kid would be. So for his first days at the school, she had spied on him using her small molded animals.

But seeing him playing and laughing with other kids had calmed her nerve down. It was weird to see him interact with them, but at the same time she was pleased. Maybe Konoha wasn't so bad after all.

"Hey Thao!"

Thao turned to the source of the voice. She smiled and waved a hand to him. "Hey Hokage!"

"Heh! I hope so too, dattebayo!" Naruto grinned and walked next to her. "So, where are you going?"

"Don't know. Just wandering around the village, seeing new things," Thao shrugged and offered him a bag of chips. "Want some?"

"Of course!" Naruto laughed and grabbed as many chips as he could, some of it crumbled to the ground. "Oops. Sorry!"

Thao just shook her head and smiled, munching her chips silently, quite the opposite of Naruto who was practically screaming for chips.

"Oh Thao-chan, I'm about to head down for training. Wanna` come?"

Thao blinked at his usage of suffix, but soon wiped out and turned to a smile as shared some more chips. "Sure, that'd be fun."

The walk was dangerously quiet. But it wasn't that awkward either. Thao felt that she and Naruto didn't really that close, much to Naruto often use of suffixes. Not as much as she with Shikamaru who just clicked on. But then again, this was Naruto who easily became friends with anyone.

"So Naruto, what else I can get in Konoha?" She asked, trying to make a talk. "Other than ramen, I hope."

Naruto turned to her and scrunched his eyebrows as in thinking hard. "A lot of things really. Ichiraku's Ramen Shop it is. And then there is BBQ Grill shop, and uh...more things for ninja things, groceries, and books. Oh! Public's Bath!"

"What's that?"

"A public bath."

"Public what?" Thao eyes flickered in cautious and curiosity. "The only thing I know is a public swimming pool, which in my island was a river."

"River?" Naruto furrowed his brows, "Where the heck did you live?"

"Somewhere, not like this." Thao gestured her arms to the huge village she was in. "We were rogue ninjas in hiding. We became nomadic."

"What were you hiding from?" Naruto glanced at the clouds, before turning back to her. "Or are? Are you still a rogue?"

"I guess so. I haven't completed my genin test. Yamigakure is long gone. Wearing this doesn't mean I'm a Kiri shinobi," Thao showed him a wooden bracelet with a fainted Kirigakure symbol crafted on it. "And being in Konoha doesn't mean I am a Konoha shinobi."

"Oh right." Naruto nodded. "You still haven't answered my other question."

"Well...," Thao paused and let out a deep breath. "The Akatsuki is actually looking for the Spirit's chakra inside my brother's body."

"Whose chakra?"

"Kamasosso is his name. I only saw him once just for a short time, years ago. But as far as I heard he was as powerful as a tailed-beast." Unbeknown to Naruto, she frowned. "Otsuro died once. My father sealed Kamasosso within him to bring him back to life. Now that he lives with his dark chakra, he is the same as a jinchuuriki, or whatever you call it."

"Jinchuuriki it is." Unbeknown to Thao, he frowned. "So I guess that made you became rogue. To walk away from the civil people who judges."

"Yes." Her voice was barely audible as she choked the three letters out. All of this talking only to remind her about the horrible past tense of the downfall of her family. "We used to be so blessed of his existence. Now, people see it as a curse."

Naruto nodded in return before suddenly losing appetite on the chips. "It must have been very hard to have it in the boy's body. He was just too young."

"I know. As his sister, I think a lot of 'what ifs' about it." Thao sighed and closed her eyes. "But I am also grateful about the seal. If he weren't sealed in, he wouldn't be here by now."

Naruto gazed his eyes at Thao who was now smiling weakly. They might come from a different world, but he knew what Otsuro had gone through. And he knew what would come to him right away. He guessed that, that was the main reason he adored Otsuro so much.

"I agree. It was a—,"

"NARUTO-KUN!"

Naruto was abruptly interrupted by a young man running...with his hands, from the road behind them. Naruto's face lightened up and his whiskers cheek tugged into a huge grin.

Thao raised her brow in quite amusement. She heard about this green beast boy with his desirable body physique and taijutsu skill, but seeing him face to face was enough to make a bold statement of how freaking crazy he was.

"Naruto—oh Thaomi-san, right?"

"Y—,"

"Thaomi-san, pleasure to meet you in person!" Lee made a somersault and ended up standing in front of them, any sweat couldn't be found in his round face. He abruptly snatched her hand and shook it. "I'm the handsome youthful green beast of Konoha, Rock Lee!"

"Uh Lee—,"

"Bushy brow, you're embarrassing! Believe it!" Naruto grunted and grabbed more chips from the bag.

"Oh, gomen!" Lee let go and bowed down to her at exactly ninety-degree bend. "I am truly sorry."

"That's okay, Lee-san." Thao nodded and smiled to him. "So I guess you were training?"

"Yosh! I challenge myself to run with hands to the training ground." Rock Lee said and spun around. Without a blink of an eye he was back with his hands.

"Challenge accepted!" Naruto exclaimed and positioned himself for a race. "You're coming, Thao-chan?"

"Oh no, I'll just watch—oh my Spirit!"

Without giving her a chance of pausing, Naruto and Lee already darted off to the training ground, leaving her with dust flew around her and an empty bag of chips. Thao shook her head and couldn't help but laugh. They reminded her of the twins. No matter how annoying they were, they were still fun to watch.

Thao soon caught up with the others at the training ground, which was a spacious green field at the entrance of a forest. Nara Forest, as she remembered who the owners were. And one of them was there. Shikamaru's lips curved into an unnoticeable big smile when he saw the black-haired coming from the village.

"Mind if I join?" clearly she was asking directly to the other group, but Shikamaru found himself nodding at the question. "Cool! I'm Thao—,"

"You're not wearing hitai-ate. Where's it? And where're you from?" Tenten raised an eyebrow, looking up and down at the taller girl. "Just curious."

"Tenten—,"

"Well, I'm a rogue ninja. All of my family is." Thao shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm from Yamigakure, if you're so curious about it."

"Oh yeah? Rogue ninja? Kicked out from the village I see." Tenten snickered. "I don't know why Tsunade-sama even bothered to welcome a runaway ninja like you."

"Geez, you're mean." Thao chuckled and shook her head. "But of course, people don't always be so nice."

"I guess those people don't like rogues like you."

"I can't see why it worries you so much," Thao smiled and snuck her hands on her pants pockets. "People like you."

"Tenten, that's enough!" Shikamaru stepped up in front of Tenten who was practically gripping on her kunai tightly, ready to explode. "Hokage-sama has made her decision, whether you like it or not. Deal it!"

Tenten grunted and put her sword back to its holder, eyes still glaring Thao's soul. She decided that it would be a waste to try a conversation with her. She turned away and disappeared to the crowded civilization.

"What's wrong with her?" Thao asked in the middle of silence.

"A couple of rogues stole her scrolls on the last mission." Ino frowned and randomly scratched her forehead. "And she is having that time of a month."

Thao nodded, not sure how to react. She heard the guy with the dog muttered something about girl's problem in an uninterested way. Yet he still thought about it, which was funny.

"Are you alright?" Shikamaru suddenly asked her.

"Me? Of course I'm alright, Shikamaru-san." Thao smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "I told you people don't always be so nice to me. And I can assure you I've met worse than that."

 _The Akatsuki you mean?_

"Nevermind, where're Naruto and Lee? They said they were racing to here."

"Those doofuses went for a second round. They just took off." Kiba lazily answered, lazily laying on Akamaru's broad back." "Yo Thao?"

"Yup?"

"Wanna` spar?"

"A spar? With me?"

"I didn't stutter."

"No thanks."

Kiba's eyes narrowed and he abruptly sat straight and faced her. "What did you say?"

"I didn't stutter."

Ino and Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh as Kiba's face slowly drained in color. Shino wasn't laughing, but he seemed enjoyed the humor on the scene. To make things more humiliating, Kiba felt Akamaru's stomach vibrated vigorously which he assumed was laughing. He huffed and kicked the side of his thigh.

"Why? Scared much?" he sniggered and jumped off Akamaru's body. "You see, I'm a gentleman. I won't scare ya`."

"You don't scare me, oh no. I just don't think that's great idea. You'll waste your chakra to get yourself hurt." Thao smiled and sat on a big rock next to Shino, "So nope."

"So you're saying that I'll lose to _you_?! Hah! That's impossible." Kiba now stood up in front of her. "Sorry to hear this once again, but you're only a rogue nin—,"

Kiba began to sniff her smell, only to make his eyes sparks in confusedness and...fear? He narrowed his eyes once more time to her and let out some air through his nostrils.

"I guess you smell any lie on me, no?" Thao's smile widened as she watched him retreated back with his dog was laying defensively around him. "Told you."

Kiba just huffed in annoyance, suddenly urged himself to rub Akamaru's neck. "What's your surname?!"

"You asked me just now?"

"Just answer it damn it!"

"It's Kuroichi Thaomi from the noble Kuroichi Clan of Yamigakure." Thao shrugged and swung her legs playfully. "Or was? It's not noble anymore. It doesn't even exist...I think."

Silence took over both Ino and Kiba, and perhaps Akamaru as well. They tried to register everything she had said to their brains, and they seemed quite in shock. Shikamaru and Shino just watched them began ambushing her with questions, but silently they felt triumphant knowing that they were the first to know that information.

"Oh kami! Thao-san, I didn't know! Oh my god!" Ino shrieked and hugged her best friend, much to Thao's uncomfortable position. "I have more powerful friend!"

"The Black Blood, The Immortal; they call it with a lot of names but it all comes down to a Kuroichi Clan." Kiba suddenly smile widely, showing some sharp fangs in the process. "I want to spar with you right now!"

Thao smiled and opened her old wound on her palm. Slowly black blood was pouring out in a shape of a kunai. "Challenge accepted!"

.

.

Working with ninkens was a proof to the Inuzuka's incredible ability in teamwork, but it was just barely enough to take down the unpredictable. With her kekkei genkai and immortality, she was definitely tough to beat. Despite that, they had a great match. Both of them were proud to admit that, even though Kiba and Akamaru lost. At least they got a rare opportunity to have a match with the living heritage.

Her first encounter with a Konoha nin was a smart but lazy bum on the hospital who were sitting calmly watching the clouds. Bu Konoha ninja turned out to be stronger than she had expected. Sure, she was just stood there and let her black magical blood did the work, but the spar had made her felt pretty exhausted. She didn't even realize she used so much blood for a chuunin and a dog. But she hadn't been training since all of her teammates were still hospitalized, and it was one hell of a match.

She also discovered one more unimportant thing about herself she never knew existed. She liked dogs too. Smiling at a memory when she and the twins were chased down by couple of wild dogs at the forest, Thao walked on the empty street towards the Hyuuga Compound.

The time was almost midnight. She knew she needed to get to home soon.

After dinner she told the noble family that she was (some sort of) a nocturnal person. So she could need a good long walk in the dark. Hyuuga-sama was bewildered by the sudden obligation. He found it rather offending. But there was nothing he could do. He knew her background. So it was reasonable enough.

The wooden gate to the compound was closed, no surprise there. She could just sneak in from the roof to the training ground. She did it with ease.

She took some more times to look around the house properly without any disturbing and body-bumping. She realized she was standing at the same spot where she first saw Neji without his hitai-ate. She still remembered seeing the weird mark on his forehead. As well as the cold hearted stare that could possibly freeze her blood.

Shaking her head, she decided it was best to go to bed and have an empty mind away from other stuff. She walked to the door and slowly opened it, trying so hard not to wake the Hyuuga princess.

She was told to sleep on an extra mattress next to Hinata's bed. But that day, the mattress wasn't set up and Thao couldn't find the big thing anywhere in the room. Possibly Hinata had asked her servants to wash it up after few days. Maybe she was too disgusted by the present of a curse in her room. Her noble room.

Speaking of nobility, Thao didn't realize that Hinata snored. Her face was the other way and her long hair spread widely covering her pillows. Thao gave a small smile, seeing how calm-less her sleep was. She urged herself to pull up her blanket to her chin. Hinata whimpered in comfort.

Sighing, she made a make-shift mattress with her coat. She found a pillow across the room and thought it was okay to borrow. Hinata had allowed her to use pretty much everything in the room, so she wouldn't mind. The room was cold, and the floor didn't help much to heat up.

After shifting left to right, she found her comfort. Slowly the rogue ninja began to drift into sleep next to the princess. Or so she thought.

Who would have known?

.


	8. Chapter 8

.

"Hinata-sama?! HINATA-sama?!"

Thao's eyes began to open slowly to see an empty space under the bed. She scratched her cheek and turned around to see the clock. Sure the yelling voices outside were annoying, but she wouldn't mind. This was Hyuuga compound and Thao didn't have reasons to shut them up. Or she'd be dead.

"Hinata-sama, I need to talk to you!"

 _That guy is so demanding!_ She thought. But she didn't open her eyes for accuracy. She just listened to the bickering. Back at the island, the only voices she remembered was a yelling from the twins as their way to wake her up.

"Is t-th-there something wrong, N-Neji-san?" _Oh, the cold hearted then._

"I don't want to offend you, but can you please escort your friend out?" Neji said pointing to a sleeping woman on the floor. "I don't like stranger in my room, Hinata-sama."

"T-thaomi is in your room?"

Thao's eyes snapped opened.

This...

She jolted up to see two Hyuugas with opposite emotions standing on the front door. One was looking at her in surprised and a slight amusement. The other one only gave her much colder glared, even colder than yesterday.

Thao looked around and mentally slapped herself. She should've known. No mattress, the snore, everything—oh no! She accused Hinata of snoring. Thaomi groaned and scratched her hair annoyingly. _Screwed!_

"T-thao-san, would you like to go back to your room?" Hinata whispered as she kneeled down near her.

 _No, just kill me!_ But Thao just nodded and got up. Grabbing her coat and other stuff, she scurried away out of the room. Didn't know which was worse, to sleep in a guy's room or having a mental debate of whether apologize to him or she could be as cold as he was.

"Neji-san, I'm s-sorry for the disturbance." Thao's words came out as a stutter, somehow almost matching Hinata's. "It won't happen again."

"Good." Neji merely nodded as he burst into his room, closing the door in front of her face. Thao sighed and leaned on a wall for a support. Well that was unexpected.

"I'm sorry Hinata-san."

"You entered the wrong room." She gave a shy chuckle, which only made Thao felt sicker. "But I don't blame you. It took me seven years to memorize this place."

"Yeah but that was embarrassing, Hinata. I...uh, I thought he was you." Thao shook her head and frowned deeper. "I should've known it wasn't you. I mean, you don't snore."

A faint blush spread across her cheeks as she shook her head. "I'm about to go to the hospital. Would y-you like to come along?"

"Sure. But I need a bath first. I felt contaminated." Thao pouted, but smile when she heard a melodious laugh coming from the shy person next to her. She had never heard her laugh, unless it was faked. Tho was honored to make her laugh sincerely.

Soon after she bathed and a breakfast, she changed to a pair of shirt and Capri pants. Her bandages were off, showing large wounds on each of her palms, contrasted with her pale skin. She let her hair down, which made no different when she tied it on. Short hair didn't need a ponytail, yet she insisted.

Hinata walked silently towards the hospital listening to Thaomi who was talking about stupid things. She just listened to her, occasionally nodding or shaking when she asked opinions. It was hard to be done, but Thao reminded her so much of Naruto.

"Thaomi-chan! Hinata-chan!" oh hey!

"Hi Naruto-san!" Thao waved a hand to him at the same time nudging her other arm to Hinata's elbow, giggling like a match-maker on the hunt. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting Kakashi-sensei. What about you two—eh, since when you two are close?" Naruto looked down at Hinata. If Thao hadn't been there, there were chances for Hinata to pass out again. Hinata just gave him a calm nod, but inside she was burning.

"Oh, I live in her house for few days now. Right Hinata?"

"T-that's r-right, Naruto."

"Ah that makes sense. Anyway, let's go together, dattebayo!"

Thao nodded and pulled Hinata with her, in case she would run away. Thao realized their position and suddenly changed, making Hinata walking next to Naruto. Hinata shuddered as she felt their fabrics touched, much to Naruto's acknowledge. He was just too fond talking about training.

Thao soon noticed that she needed to go right to her teammate's room. She also noticed that the two 'love-birds' would take the same route along the hallway. She smiled wide at the clever scheme of her. Secretly she slowed down her pace without any of them aware of that. Carefully she disappeared as if being swollen by the air. She was rather surprised when the two seemed to forget her.

She was more surprised when she opened Marogito's door.

"Nechan, nechan!" Otsuro squealed and jumped to hug her. "I don't know where you stay. I've missed you."

"Aw, I'm missed." Thao laughed and tightened her arms around her. She could say that she missed him too, more than he knew.

"What about me?"

Thao looked up to see Marogito on the bed with bandages wrapped almost covering all of his body. She smiled and let go of the hug, continued to briefly hug him instead. "Oh look at you! All dressed up."

"Guh, I'm being fancied." He scoffed, but still returning the hug. "I've missed you too, Thao-chan."

"Since when you woke up?" Thao let go and sat on the other part of the bed. She then pointed her finger to the child playing with a toy car. "And since when he was here?"

"I have a name, nechan!" Otsuro grunted and walked over to Marogito to play on the table near the bed. Thao couldn't help but laugh at the sneer.

"I woke up this morning, really. At the same time Eruka and Otsuro were visiting." Marogito smiled and patted Otsuro's head. "Eruka-san is spreading the news."

"That's good." Thao nodded and sighed, suddenly feeling weight over her shoulder, "I...uh, have you heard about the news?"

"I have." Looking down at his bandaged arms, he breathed out heavily. "I'm sorry. They were very brave men and women."

"They may be gone, but their dreams are still with us." Thao nodded and gripped her necklace tightly, "Always."

"I already knew that." Marogito ease things up with a short laugh and shook his head. "Tell me something else."

"Oh you won't believe what happened this morning!"

"Try me."

.

.

"You slept with NEJI?!"

"Shuuuush!" Thao slapped her head to shut him down. "Not like _that_! I slept in his room. I thought he was Hinata."

Ino cracked a long breathless laugh that echoed through the clothes shopping. Some of the costumers gave them a death glare, but she ignored and kept laughing until she couldn't.

"That's so awesome!" She clapped her hand to her thigh in amusement. "You should tell Tenten about it."

Thao's eyebrows furrowed. "Why is that?"

"She has a huge crush on him, or whatever. Plus, she doesn't like you!" She chuckled and grabbed a blouse and threw it back on the shelf when she saw the price tag. "Damn rogue, you're one step ahead—ouch!"

"Shut up!" Thao could feel her face burned at the reminder of the ugly scene this morning. She shivered just to think about it. "I don't like it. I don't like him!"

"Yeah, right." Ino yawned and stretched her arms up. "You'll cuddle up so well, I assume."

"What's the meaning by that, blondie?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Or are you jealous?"

"Bah! Me? Jealous? Jealous of what? You? Please." Ino shrugged and walked further to another clothing department. "Now would you please choose something then? We've been walking for two hours now and look what you got."

Thao looked down at the only clothing inside her bag; a plain t-shirt with simple pattern across it. Another thing Thao found it cute was a T-shirt with the same pattern with the one in the bag, but in different color, which annoyed her. She then glanced at Ino's and grunted. "Look at what you got!"

Ino blinked and gave her a devilish giggle as she raised three bags in tow filled with hundreds of clothing. "Isn't it ironic that you came here, yet I'm the one to do the shopping?"

"Not really. You're Ino." Thao said bluntly and left the department, looking for something, anything that caught her eyes. Ino pouted and followed soon.

They reached some more, as Ino melted in the middle of racks. Thao had a mental note to run away when she saw dress department. But it was only a mental note when Ino squealed like a little girl and instantly dragged her towards it.

"Look at this! Isn't it cute?!"

Thao glanced at what Ino held up and scrunched her eyebrows. "That's pink."

"Duh, I'm no color blind!"

"Me too." Thao walked up to a couple of dresses on the display. "This is cute."

Ino mentally slapped the girl clearly disappointed with her fashion sense. "That's a sleeping gown!"

"I know." Thao looked up and down, admiring the satin dress in front of her. When she reached the price tag, she almost jerked her body away from it. "I guess this makes sense."

"You know what, Thao? I'm actually impressed with your choice." Ino said, wrapping her arm around the taller girl, much to the less-comfort.

"Should I be flattered?"

"I can definitely imagine you wearing this," Ino began yet another stupid day-dreaming. "And then the two of you make out, and then continue to bed, roll-over here and there—,"

"Huh?!"

"And then he's on top, tearing this dress apart—,"

"Oh my—INO!"

"GAH!—,"

"What are you two doing here?" came a booming voice from the person who was bewildered by how Thao strangled Ino so bad. "You two are bunch of loudness."

"She won't shut up!"

"Figures." Shikamaru rolled his eyes and looked around the department. "What were you talking anyway?"

"Nothing—,"

"Thao slept with—hmphndhghrh."

"Shut up!"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and froze his eyes on the kunoichi's. "Slept with...who?"

"Ne-hmphnmsmsdh!"

"Shut up!"

"Ne?" Shikamaru grew a smirk on his lips. "Neji, you mean?"

"No—,"

"Yes. Yes! YES!"

"Grah!" Thao let go of her grip, letting Ino face-to-face with a floor. "I shouldn't have told you!"

"So this Neji thing is true?" Shikamaru's scheme started to work out.

"NO! Of course not!" Thao groaned and wiped down any angry sweat from her face. "I got lost in the Hyuuga Compound and I ended up sleeping in his room, instead of Hinata's."

"Oh I—,"

"I slept on the _floor_!" Thao interrupted harshly. "Just so you know."

"Hm, okay. See ya around." With that the Shikamaru left to another department.

"W-wait! Don't leave me with her!" Thao rushed out of the dresses and followed him wherever he went, ignoring a cry from the Yamanaka. But she was Ino. With a little of shopping, she'd get over it.

"So, what brings you here?" Thao asked once she was able to catch up.

"Not much. I need to buy some wool coat, or whatever they call it. Mom needs it." He shrugged as he looked around the store. "You?"

"I meant to buy bandages nearby, but Ino found me on the way. So, you guess it." Thao rolled her eyes, but chuckled lightly. "I'm also looking for cloth material for my ninja gear."

"You don't wanna` use the blanket?"

"Pfft! Nah, I'm good." She smiled and shook her head. "Although I kind of miss `em."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, but finding the girl next to him quite amusing. He hadn't had a long talk to a girl before, let alone walked together, except Ino, his mom, and Tsunade (though she only talked about missions and strategy, which were troublesome-ing).

But Thao here was different than any other woman he had ever met. She came from nowhere, with an unclear background and story, and weird, conflicted kekkei genkai, with a group of crazy criminals on her tail. With all of those things surrounding her, he somehow found her unique.

He secretly used his shadow jutsu to see whether she was lying or not. Hence, she was telling the truth, and the Neji thing was only an incident. But somehow, his shadow shuddered when he heard the joke of them sleeping together.

.

 **After seven chapters and we finally meet again! There's a reason why. So...I decided to post multiple chapters at once but for a long period of time. This story is kinda hard to set as a newbie. What do you think about my Oc(s)? And people Thao is a girl. My friends always thought she is a boy ;( I mean can't you have a girl with boy's name?**

 **I know Thao and Thao's family's background is still blurry but we'll get to there soon. Anyhow, beta is welcomed and well...hopefully I can continue dis. I guess, I see ya at the next chapter(s). Peace love and scroll away! ~ Tir**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hello y'all! I'm baacckkkk! I am so back with more story to come! I hope y'all manage to stick with me and the story. Till the end we shall be together (^^)**_

 _ **Without further ado... here's Pitch Black**_

* * *

"Shika-san, let's play Twenty Questions!"

"No."

"No? Why?"

"Wasting my time."

"So, walking me home is a waste of time."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out other than a noisy sigh of annoyance. He grunted and scratched his hair when he found something glittery on her wrist. "Since when you got that?"

"Hmm, I thought you didn't want to play." Thao let out a calm giggle and shook her hand, colliding two bracelets on her wrist. "These're presents from Ino. Pretty, right?"

Shikamaru studied the two pearl bracelets. The dark maroon and pale lavender, which reminded him of Hyuuga's eyes, weirdly paired up really nicely on her skin. "Yeah, it's pretty."

"Ino is a nice person. Loud, but overall she is a great friend." Thao smiled, remembering her time listening to her all the time. "You know, I might have not met a lot of people. But I can tell Konoha's are nice friends."

"Konoha has gone through a lot of things. Me, Ino, Chouji and the rest of Eleven are always working things together. From missions to fights to other troublesome things," Shikamaru's lips twitched slightly. "I guess that makes our bond stronger."

Thao found herself nodding. Looking back, her family had done numerous of missions, gruesome endless fights, and the troublesome thingy. And even though almost all of them were up there watching, she still felt them around her. Her bond with them got stronger as well.

"You know, Shika-san?" Thao smiled and turned to the lazy boy next to her. "That's the longest thing I've ever heard from you."

"I was thinking the same way." Shikamaru shrugged and lightly chuckled. "I wished I could turn back the time."

"Oh no, please don't. I don't want to face Shino again. He's a nice guy but his bugs creeps me out." Thao furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head vigorously. "Although I'm sure I could beat him again—no! No bugs."

"One time you admire his beetles, now you disgust by it." Shikamaru couldn't help but chuckled. "But I'd like to see your jutsu once more."

Thao snapped her eyes to him, eyebrow rose. "Are you challenging me?"

Shikamaru blinked, not sure how to react. He didn't mean to be that way. He really wanted to see her infamous black blood in war once more. It was interesting kekkei genkai.

She was interesting Kuroichi.

"Nah, I'd rather at home or play shogi by now." Shikamaru sarcastically closed his eyes and restrained his hands behind his head. "Yeah, I'd rather do that."

"You're weird, Shika-san." Thaomi smiled and harmlessly grab his hand. "Enough with Twenty Questions. Let's play shogi!"

"Since when we played that?" Shikamaru obviously disgraced the handgrip, but at the same time his shadow wouldn't mind about it for a short time. His house was only few blocks away.

"Oh hey, guys! Where are you going? Oh Kami! They're holding hands! I knew it."

"Er, what's up with the holding hands?"

Aware of the condition, they both let go.

"Naruto, you've ruined everything!"

"Hey Sakura, Naruto, what's up?" Thao smiled and walked up to them. "We are both going somewhere unimportant. So, what are you guys doing?"

"Oh I'm just buying things. Wanna accompany me?"

"Sure. I'm sure Shikamaru wouldn't mind. Right?"

"Er, ah...,"

A sudden puff of cloud appeared behind Shikamaru. A jounin vest with a very noticeable cigarette on his mouth was towering him. "Shikamaru, Hokage-sama called."

"Yes sensei." Shikamaru couldn't help but let out sigh of relieve realizing that he wouldn't spend more time with the girls, at least not with shopping. "I see you later, guys."

Thao nodded and turned back to Sakura. "I guess I can come with you."

"Good. I need help and Naruto didn't help much." Sakura blinked and looked around. "Where is he anyway?"

"Hmm, ramen perhaps." Thao shrugged. "It's like we'll search for him."

"Right. Let's go." Sakura's eyes suddenly filled with a tense curiosity. "So Thao, how long have you been together?"

"With who?"

"Shikamaru of course!" Sakura mentally slapped her head. If she weren't Thao, she would have hit her right on the head. "Oh come on, just spill it!"

Sakura was determined to get the answer. She and Ino had been talking about their progress. From the first time they met after she was found, yesterday when she and he sat down next to each other during at yakiniku, up until now when she spotted them holding hands. Talking about stuff like that was only a reminder of how cute the two be together.

Instead she got a loud laugh coming from the raven-haired kunoichi next to her. Sakura frowned at the outcome, but still determined for answer. "So, are you?"

"Of course not. I barely know him." Dying her laugh, Thao continued. "I dragged him by the hand because he was as slow as the obvious lazy kid."

"Oh, I see." Sakura sorely nodded. "Do you find the lazy kid attractive?"

Thao raised an eyebrow at the sudden question. She simply knew about this kind of questions, but she hadn't heard it in over a year. That was enough to confuse her. "Well, he is the first person I met. He helped me with things. Yeah, he is a nice guy."

"As much as a lazy bum he is, he helps people. I agree on that." Sakura nodded. "But in my opinion, he acted different when he was with you. He...talked and listened."

"As if he never does that?"

"Most of the time he doesn't." Sakukra smiled and looked down at a piece of paper, Thao assumed to be a list of things to buy. "Anyway, it's getting late now. I need few more things to get."

"Let's do."

Somehow what Sakura told her, kept ringing on her mind. And to be honest she found him quite attractive for a lazy bum. Thinking nonsense, his black shadow matched her black blood. And her black blood shivered at the thoughts.

* * *

Hours had passed and so far no interesting things happened. Shikamaru and a group of jounin got a mission just at the outskirt of Konoha forest. Other teams got their own missions, which made Thao frown at her lack of doing missions. Frankly, she missed the old times doing missions and getting money.

Kiba's team was hired for a C-rank, protecting a client on their journey to the Land of Volcano, two nights away from Konoha. Naruto and Sakura both had training sessions with Kakashi and Yamato, and Lady Tsunade.

There was Lee and Tenten to train with, but Tenten would possibly take it the wrong way and Lee...well, he freaked her out sometimes. And when she was about to ask the rest of Shika-Ino-Chou, they apparently were called to a critical mission and soon was off the village. That was the main reason why Thao was training with her own chi-bunshin (blood clone) and ended up winning, or losing, or both.

"Alright Bunshin, you bored me," She sighed and shook her head. "Let's just rest for a while."

"You too." The clone answered and slumped down next to the real body. The clone glanced at the girl before putting on a small tired smile. "You've been thinking about him."

"Uh what?" Thao raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Shikamaru." The clone laughed wider when she saw glimpse of redden blush across the human's cheeks. "Right?"

Thao glared at her and raised her hand to her face. "I don't mind dispersing you right now, just don't make me."

"Oh come on. I'm you, and I definitely know what's on your mind." The clone smiled and leaned in closer for an interrogation. "So you like him?"

"Bunshin, we're only buddies. I rarely hang out with him. Geez, don't take it personally."

"But when you do—,"

"And we're done. I better find someone else to train. You're useless." Thao sighed and stood up.

"You're useless." Bunshin chuckled and suddenly turned around back facing her. "Train with him?"

Thao gave her a blank confused look. But when she turned around, she met a gaze of somebody who usually gave her rude stare. That day it was still there, but just a slight hint.

"Neji-san, good day." Thao mentally swallowed her big lump on her throat and zapped a finger. In no time the bunshin burst into a small pool of black blood. "I've permitted to use the training room by your uncle. But I guess it doesn't hurt much to ask again."

Neji just stood there leaning on the pillar, his pale eyes bored right to her. Out of the corner he briefly closed his eyes. "If you asked me, I'd not allow you here."

"Hm okay." Thao stiffed at the accidental rudeness. But she had expected that since he...well, he was Neji. According to Hinata, he never really liked her because he was only a branch family. She frowned at the thought of a conflicted racism in the same and respected clan. She was a branch member too if she followed Hyuugas' rule. But Kuroichi didn't do such thing. "I guess I'll ask this; wanna` spar with me?"

Again, Neji did the same thing all over again. But as an addition, she found him nodding and walked into the training room. "Let us."

Neji didn't look so cold when he fought. And he fought as a well-trained jounin. He even stopped one of chakra flows which made her limping on the left leg. Damn byakugan user. But not to take the Black Blood lightly. She managed to trap him inside her one of her blood jutsu and gave him a long but harmless cut on his upper arm. Despise all of that, the spar turned out to be friendlier than she had imagined.

"That was nice, Neji-san." Thao said, gritting in pain as she tried to move her left leg. "I just hope this is healable."

"It's only a temporary, last for only fifteen minutes top." Neji implied, deactivated his byakugan. "You're a good ninja."

"Nah, I'm not enough of that." Thao smiled and tried to walk to the stairs. "I think I'll take a break—,"

There was a sliding of a door and a servant came in. "I'm sorry for interruption. Someone is looking for Thaomi-san."

The two paused and looked at the servant. Thao moved slowly and turned to the guy. "Who is it?"

"One of them is your teammates. The other one has never visited before, so I haven't got the idea." The servant said. "Oh, and a respectful shinobi died during a mission. His funeral will be done this afternoon."

"Who?"

The servant paused, suddenly having his tongue slipped out. "Third Hokage's son."

 _Who?_ Thao didn't realize who until she saw a pang of hurt in Neji's eyes. So this person must be very important.

Hearing the news Neji and Thaomi stopped the training. They made a bow and the peace fingers, before Thao limped out of the room. "I'm thrilled. We should do this again."

When Thao walked out of the gate, she spotted two familiar heads. One was fairly tall and had a rough tied up blonde hair. The other one was spiky brown with crutches. She could help but smile as she recognized the two of them immediately.

"Hey bitch, long time no see!"

"Yeah, yeah. You're looking a lot better with those sticks."

Usatchi looked down at the crutches and smiled. "Too bad I'll throw this away when the time has come."

"Even better." Thao laughed and locked him for a hug. "I've missed you Usatchi-kun."

"Oh please, you missed everybody." Marogito scoffed, but found the scene quite funny. "He isn't released yet. But doctor said he was getting better. I brought him to you."

"I feel special." She smiled and placed a hand on her chest. But soon she was hanging low. "You guys heard about the—,"

"Asuma-san's death? Yeah. He was a great ninja. I've never talked to him but according to Midatsu-sensei, he was a nice man."

 _Asuma...I swear I heard that name._

"Don't tell me you didn't know him." Usatchi mocked by the blank look on her face. When she shrugged, he sighed and looked up to the sky. "He was a jounin with beard and cigar. He saved me from the plant-freak."

 _A sudden puff of cloud appeared behind Shikamaru. A jounin vest with a very noticeable cigarette on his mouth was towering him. "Shikamaru, Hokage-sama called."_

" _Yes sensei." Shikamaru couldn't help but let out sigh of relieve realizing that he wouldn't spend more time with the girls, at least not with shopping. "I see you later, guys."_

"Oh." Thao frowned and sulked down in a slight grief. "Are we invited?"

"I guess. That's mainly why we came over to you." Marogito said, taking out something from his bag. "Kabushiro-san wants you to wear this."

Thao looked down at black clothing neatly folded inside a plastic seal. For a funeral event, the simple dress seemed so pretty. And she mentally chuckled when she spotted a price tag. It was somehow short sleeve. So Thao didn't mind to wear a matching black coat over her body. So that afternoon, she and the rest of Hyuuga people went to the funeral, high above the Hokage statue, at the roof of Hokage Mansion.

She stood there watching everyone in mourn. She spotted Shika-Ino-Chou. Chouji was calming a genin who was crying hard, making her frowned. That kid kinda reminded her of Otsuro's cry at the funeral of Sukii and three other death days back. She too was calming him down, yet she couldn't calm herself. She sure Chouji was feeling the same way.

Ino was also crying but not as much as Chouji. She was holding bouquets of pretty white lilies. Pretty flowers for a sad event. The woman next to her had to be Kurenai, Asuma's fiancée. Thao remembered talking to her quite few times when Team Hinata was training.

But no matter how hard she tried to search for him, he was nowhere to be found.

She felt a drip across her cheek, but it wasn't her tears. She looked up to see the sky had grimly turned to a grayish with rain-drops pouring down in grief.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey Shika-san."

"Hey."

"You okay?" Thao said as she sat down on the green grass next to him.

"I guess so. I'm trying to make this work." Shikamaru paused to take a drag on his cigarette. After two agonizing smokes, he harshly coughed out, "Ehm, yeah."

Thao chuckled silently and followed where the smokes were until they were united with the air surrounding them. "Is it any good?"

"Surprisingly it is. It calms me down." He simply twisted the small cylindrical thing with his fingers without catching fire on himself. "Now I know why Asuma-sensei liked to smoke so much."

"Midatsu smokes too." She implied. "The twins decided to try, but they have weak breathes."

"It was rough at first. But I managed to get through that." Shikamaru blew out some white smokes as he glanced at the kunoichi's interest and offered. "Wanna try?"

"Sure."

Shikamaru handed her butt of the cigar to her. Thao confidently took it and pinched it between her fingers. Shikamaru watched as she started to get anxious when she slipped it between her natural red pouty lips. When she took a drag, her lungs felt burning inside. As expected, she coughed hard until the point of nausea. Being a bastard, Shikamaru find the humor and laughed.

"You went too far. Just take it slow." He grabbed the fallen cigarette covered by dirt and grass and handed over to her.

"Maybe not." Thao spit out, panting more for the lack of oxygen to remedy her lungs. "You...do it."

Shikamaru shrugged and took a drag of it. His lips curved into a noticeable smirk when he heard a snorty chuckle.

"You know...do you have anything else to do?"

"What you mean, Shika-san?"

"I don't know," he glanced straight to her brown orbs. "You bugged me so often."

"Not that you mind." Thao laughed, suddenly feeling triumphant when she noticed he was losing words. "You are a lazy loner. And after the whole thing you seem need a companion—,"

"I don't need you mourning me."

"Oh no, don't worry. I'm not in mood of grieving your sensei. No offense. I mean, people die every day." She felt Shikamaru's breath hitched to the point where he could just swallow his cigar right away. She shook her head and sighed. "Look. I've been in your position many times now. That time I too didn't want anyone to pity me. I know how you feel. So I won't do that."

Shikamaru looked bewildered at first, but the realization of her life of loses stung him like a kunai stabbed on his chest. She was an orphan, left alone with a brother of a vessel. And then not a week ago he attended the funeral of her cousin, Sukii, and other three deads. He remembered watching the special funeral. He watched as Kabushiro extracted the black blood out of her body and released it to the sky, before the burial section.

"Thaomi?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Thao looked up to him and smiled sincerely. She urged herself to take his hand in hers. She felt Shikamaru stiffened by the touch, but soon relaxed. "You're going to be fine, Shikamaru-san."

Shikamaru had never been hand-held, at least not when he needed some comforts. So when Thao snatched his hands and calmly blanketed it with her hands, he felt the unbearable solace spreading warmly in his hearts. He couldn't help but smile to the feeling. "You too, Thao-san."

They sat there in silent, watching the sun made its grand entrance to the earth. The chirping of birds made the perfect back-sound. After a moment of silence, Thaomi began. "Can I ask you who?"

"Who what? Killed him?"

"Uh...yeah," Thao slumped slightly. "I mean, don't you wanna do something about him?"

"Honestly, I don't think about it that much." Shikamaru leaned forward and rest his chin on his knee. "Revenge is not my thing."

"Oh. Now I feel like the bad person." She sighed and ripped out some grass from its core.

"You have revenge on someone?"

"Uh, even though we're running away from the Akatsuki, it'd be a nice thing if I could get my hands on them, all of them." Thao managed to chuckle humorlessly, but somehow still lightened the tension. "It's kinda one of my goals."

Shikamaru was a lazy bum, but he could definitely saw the hint of hurt and anger in her eyes. And that tricked something inside him.

"That's a troublesome goal. Good luck with that." Shikamaru took one last long drag before crushed it to the trunk of a tree nearby. He stood up and grabbed his jacket (used as a temporary carpet), brushing off the dirt on it. "I have something to tell Ino and Chou."

"I can help—,"

"No, thanks. I appreciate it though." Shikamaru patted her shoulder and went around. "See ya around."

"See you when I see you." Her smile faded as he disappeared between people and buildings. She sighed and dunked her head to the ground, literally. "Come out."

The ripped grass from earlier flew around near her. It spun faster until a man appeared inside. When the man came out, he sent the grass to dig in to the ground to plant itself. "I'm truthfully disappointed in you, Thao-chan."

"Me too, sensei." Thao sighed and wrapped arms around herself, shrinking her body. "Me too."

"Err hey, I'm only joking. The grass ripping was no big deal." Midatsu furrowed his eyebrows and sat down next to her. "What's up?"

"People die every day."

"That's correct."

"Whether ninjas or not, people die every day."

"Err...do you have something in mind?"

"Man or woman, young or old, people die every day." Thao sighed and ripped more grass out of the ground, much to Midatsu's scrunched face. "And I don't know what to do when Otsuro dies."

"He did."

"Not funny." Thao couldn't help but rolled her eyes, but smiling at the useless joke of his. "When he dies again, I don't know what to expect."

Midatsu shook his head and wrapped an arm around her protectively. "Don't expect things. Just hope."

"They're the same to me, aren't they?"

"Well my father once said; any hopes are expectation, but not all expectations are true hope." Midatsu smiled and chuckled at her confused look. "What I'm trying to say is, don't lose hope."

"I still don't get your dad's philosophy." Thao shrugged and leaned her head to his shoulder. "So what's really brings you here?"

"Well," Midatsu smiled and suddenly puffed into bunch of fallen grasses. Some of them landed on her head and gave a faint whisper, "Follow me."

* * *

"Nechan. Nechan, look! Isn't it beautiful?" Otsuro was practically dragging her into the newly reconstructed house. Thao smiled and shook her head at his sudden energy of excitement. She just nodded and followed suit.

The house was like any other traditional Japanese houses, mainly made out of ? woods. It was not as huge as the Hyuuga Compound, but it was practical enough to give twelve ninjas a shelter under the same roof. She found most of the rooms were still empty. This house was far from over. But at least she got the idea how her house would be like once it was completed.

At Kuroichi Compound, the youngsters always played something together in the living room. Either it was a card, or a fun puzzle, or just plain watching TV with some snacks. It was one of those lovely moments. And having a new home meant that she could relive that moment again.

So did the kitchen area. She remembered her times helping mother cooking and making a dough for a pastry, which later turned out to be a messy dining; here, there, flour everywhere. Thao couldn't cook much, and people didn't create instant food for no reason. But soon she would ask Fumaki, Kabushiro's girlfriend, on how to cook a dish properly. It'd be nice to cook a delicious meal for the family.

She could only guessed that she and Eruka, a fellow Dark Bond, would be rooming together. She didn't mind. She once shared room together and until then they had pretty much the same taste of room decoration; simple.

"Lovely, isn't it?" Midatsu walked next to her, also scanning their future house. "I'm glad that Hokage had let us stayed. Very grateful I am, aren't you Thao?"

Thao just nodded her head and chuckled. "I can imagine things already. When is the due?"

"Soon. Yamato-san volunteers to help with the furniture things."

"Well then, where is he?"

"He is training Naruto with his new jutsu." Midatsu explained.

"Why Naruto trains a lot? I mean, come on." Thao grunted and folded her arms on her chest.

"I'm not so sure. When Naruto has masters a certain jutsu, he and his team will come down to assist Shikamaru's team."

"Oh. So Shikamaru is on the mission." Thao nodded, suddenly looking at the shadow beneath her. "What mission?"

"I don't remember exactly, but to eliminate couple member of Akatsuki near the border."

Thao's heart twitched and flashbacks struck her light a thunder struck her blood.

"You mean the one who killed Asuma-sensei? They're still hanging around?" Otsuro popped up and practically was running to her. "They are?"

Thao shot a ridiculously serious glare to Midatsu. How could he know? Well he could. So how could she not know? And what would she do about it?

"Shikamaru's sensei?"

"Yeah. Shika-Ino-Chou went to fight them earlier. Lady Hokage ordered Yamato's team to assist." Yamato smiled was calm enough, but it wasn't working with Thao's mind. "That is if Naruto can finish with his chakra control."

" _I have something to tell Ino and Chou."_

" _I can help—,"_

" _No, thanks. I appreciate it though." Shikamaru patted her shoulder and went around. "See ya around."_

"Midatsu-sensei, where does it take place?"

"I don't know. Just follow the stream up north. It's just outside Nara's forest. Why you ask that?" Midatsu looked down at her and regretted seeing a glimpse of her scheme from her eyes. "Oh no, you don't."

"Oh come on!"

"What? What is going on?" Otsuro jolted up by the sudden outburst from his sister.

"We are hiding from them at the moment. _You_ are hiding from them. And they still don't know us being here." Midatsu glared mockingly. "And I don't trust you."

"Stupid idiot." Thaomi huffed and briefly turned to Otsuro. "Otsuro, why don't you play along with your friends at the park?"

Otsuro hesitated, but then went off after Midatsu gave him some money. Midatsu sighed and darkly turned back to the stubborn student of his.

"Just shut up and calm down. This Konoha revenge thing has nothing to do with us."

"I'm not talking about Asuma's death." Thao snickered and stood up. "I'm talking about my family's death."

She said it herself; she didn't care about the death stuff. But it was the fact that she just made a life vow about what she must do with the Akatsuki. Speaking of revenge, she also had a goal to reach.

Midatsu sighed and shook his head. "What if you got killed?"

"Immortal, remember." Thaomi actually smiled at this. A short humor would be okay. She needed it anyway. "Besides I have something to ask them."

"What about?"

Thao turned stiffly to Midatsu. "That...has nothing to do with you."

"I'll tell Kabushiro then."

"Do not!"

"LOOK!" Midatsu almost raised his voice at the moment. "I'm your sensei. I'm responsible for my students' safety, including you. So I'm coming or Kabushiro's coming."

"Sensei, you won't understand," Thao frowned and scratched her hair roughly. "I'm doing this for my family's safety, including you."

Midatsu frowned and closed his eyes. "You're right. I won't understand."

"Sorry—,"

"But that doesn't mean I won't help." Midatsu abruptly stood up and grabbed her by the shoulder. "When Kabushiro asks, just say we go hunting."

* * *

 _ **Alright for those who wonders about Thao's family and group, and their age...here it is... (I try to explain it as simply as possible)**_

 _ **Group name: Dark Bond (age)**_

 _ **Leader: Kabushiro (23).**_

 _ **Second-hand(s): Tamashi (51), Birama (25).**_

 _ **Member(s):**_

 _ **Otsuro (8)**_

 _ **#Team A**_

 _ **Fumaki (22)**_

 _ **Kabushiro**_

 _ **Birama**_

 _ **Giroko-sensei (48)**_

 _ **#Team B1**_

 _ **Marogito (16)**_

 _ **Thaomi (17)**_

 _ **Usatchi (17)**_

 _ **Midatsu-sensei (22)**_

 _ **#Team B2**_

 _ **Reiko (19)**_

 _ **Tsaiko (19)**_

 _ **Eruka (19)**_

 _ **Sukii-sensei (25)**_

 _ **I think that's all...now! On with the story^^**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**This segment is actually following to the original, with a little twist and a little black blood...go ahead scroll down, don't be shy...**_

 _ **Rated for gory scene and well...cursing-_-**_

* * *

Shikamaru mentally cursed in joy as he watched Kakashi's hand pierced right through the masked's heart. He had just hit him in the vital point and surely there was no way he could survive that.

Shikamaru knew his shadow-mimic jutsu was very crucial to this strategy, but somehow he felt rather useless watching the silver haired sensei took down an S-rank criminal all by a swipe of his hand. And to excite things more, Kakashi wasted no time focusing his chakra back to his palm, creating a lightning jutsu. And Shikamaru also knew that Hidan wouldn't go anywhere by now.

"Fuck! You think you can kill me?! HAHAHA!"

Kakashi didn't even twitch a muscle as he centered his attention to the man's chest. But what was supposedly a direct hit to Hidan's heart now being replaced by a hard kick on Kakashi's stomach by the one who just lost a heart.

"How come? I thought he was dead."

"Kakashi's hand had struck him right on the chest—Shikamaru?"

 _Damn it! My Kagemane has worn off. Shit!_ Shikamaru watched as his shadow made a way in retreat back to him, leaving the nosy Akatsuki free.

A devilish laugh roared throughout the field. Hidan gleefully started to brag about his partner's secret transformation and as to why they bold were called the Zombies, only to be shushed by Kakuzu himself who was already taking off his robe.

Four masked-like things were tightly attached to his back. But soon they would break loose. Team Asuma gasped when each mask struck out from his stitched body and becoming four monstrous beasts.

"What are those things?" Chouji swallowed a big lump of saliva as he tried to digest everything he just saw.

"These are...to end your lives!" Kakuzu coldly laughed as the beasts roared and rushed up to the two chuunin up ahead.

Hidan wasted just a little time to curse before swinging his scythe to Kakashi's head, merely inches away from drawing blood. Kakashi dodged his attacks but when one of the beasts pulled out a strong wind jutsu, he vanished amongst the dust.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Chouji called out, coughing at the sudden thickness of the hot mist.

But Shikamaru concerned another thing far away from Kakashi's skill to survive. Sure enough he felt a huge chakra flow running towards them, fast.

"Chou, Shika, run!" Ino who was at the safe distance yelled out. But to Shikamaru, it was no use. Two lightning blazes rocketed right to them.

Raiton Gian!

"RAIKIRI!" Amazingly the flows stopped by two hands held up and split the energy apart, letting them hit a cliff and a huge rock at their directions. Kakashi's hands were burning, but he still stood there in protective manner.

"Kakashi-sensei, you okay?!"

"Yeah. No need to worry about me. Just pay attention to that." Kakashi observed the two dangerous criminals plus four raged-up monsters guarding them. He noticed this; one monster used wind jutsu. And the other one just used _raiton_. The broken one was a earth, he could feel it. So the last one should have control either water or fire chakra. And he prayed it was water. "You guys get cover—,"

Unfortunately, Kakashi's prayer was too much to handle by God.

"KATON ZUKKOKU!"

Suddenly the four Konoha ninjas were absorbed and transformed into pools of black liquid as huge bushes and vines grew from the earth and burned themselves to stop the inferno.

Before Shikamaru could figure out what happened, he was then being thrown out from the water in a form of a human. He groaned and rubbed the spot where he hit the ground, but soon he moved on to scan his teammates nearby him, also on the ground.

And a ninja with black hair and a cigar on his mouth.

 _Asuma...sensei?_

"So he already has released his monsters, means you guys have put on a great fight." The man said as he watched the fire going off slowly. He then turned back to the bewildered people behind him. "Are you guys okay?"

"That! I've never seen that before." Shikamaru's head jolted to his right as a woman rose up from the black pool of blood. "What the heck is that thing?!"

 _Thaomi?_

"Thao-chan, what are you doing here?" Ino blinked and watched Thaomi now standing up; the black pool no longer existed.

"If I weren't here, you'd be toasted. All of you." Thaomi smiled and brushed some dust from her hair. "And I have a business to do."

"What business?" Ino frowned at the sudden calmness from the kunoichi. She then found herself glances at the man next to her. "And who's he?"

"Ah, where are my manners. I'm Midatsu. You guys must be Shika-Ino-Chou, am I wrong?" Midatsu looked at the trio and nodded, "Yep, definitely."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at the sudden introduction. He grunted and shook his head. "Thaomi, what are you doing here exactly?"

"Like I said, Shika-san, I have a business to attend." Thaomi looked down and shrugged. "What it is it's not yours to concern."

"She wants to talk to the Akatsuki." Midatsu shrugged.

"Hey!—,"

"Talk? Talk about what?" Chouji asked, heavily getting up and stood nearby.

"That...is not yours to concern." Thaomi nodded and then glared at Midatsu. "Neither is yours."

"Sure." Midatsu rolled his eyes. "I concern about those two. They looked like to kill us, really."

All eyes turned to two Akatsuki men who were watching in interest of the additional enforcement. A very interesting guest.

"Well if it's not the Black Blood to come to the rescue." Kakuzu chuckled darkly boomed to ears. "Is Otsuro coming? Are you going to give him in?"

"Kuzu, don't you fucking waste our fucking time?! Just fucking kill them already!"

"Shutthe fuck up you motherfuck!"

"Thao!"

Hidan blinked and immediately felt humiliated by his own game. The outburst and found that rather surprisingly exciting for Kakuzu. He mockingly laughed out, louder and heavier than before.

"Kuroichi Thaomi, you've never changed, haven't you?"

"They know you." Ino gulped and glared at her. "They know you?!"

"Yeah. I know them too."

"You never told me about this! My friend is a wanted for the criminals. I have more weird friends."

"Calm down everybody, don't lose attention. We still have a strategy to keep." Kakashi stood up and handed over something small that only Shikamaru knew what to do about it. "You know what to do?"

"Sure. I just need to get to the cursing freak and take him by the shadow."

"Let us help!"

"No. Ino you're our only medic nin, and honestly this is out of your league. And Chouji, you broke your shoulder and I know it hurts pretty badly." Chouji frowned, knowing that it was mostly true. "Ino, you should heal him."

Thaomi and Midatsu looked at each other before shrugging as Shikamaru stormed off to catch on Hidan.

"We helped him and he just took off?"

"You know Shikamaru, he becomes serious when he has strategy." Thaomi smiled before slowly transformed back into liquid. "And you know me."

Midatsu and Kakashi watched as the black orbs flew to the direction where Shikamaru disappeared. "So Kakashi-san, what's our strategy, really?"

"You've faced him before, right?" getting a nod, Kakashi fixed up his torn up undershirt and tightened the headband on his head. "Let's just attack him."

* * *

Thao arrived just as Hidan swung his scythe barely scratching Shikamaru's skin. They both seemed to dance along with rhythm of dodging, but this annoyed her, who was now watching from a tree trunk just around the corner.

"You know, Shika-san, I can definitely help you out with the shadow technique."

"Shut...up. I don't need...you...to do this." Shikamaru managed to choke out as he struggled so hard to tame up the white-haired Akatsuki.

"Hahaha! Look! Your girlfriend is fucking worried about you."

"Shut up, Hidan-san!" Thao scoffed outloud.

"Really? At this time you still use suffix?" Shikamaru shook his head as he bounced back from trees to trees, followed by Hidan armed up with his sharp weapon.

Thaomi watched this desperate attempt, she decided to join in. She melted away and swayed her way to Hidan's shadow. At the perfect time she was directly inside his shadow and she had full control of his body. So when Hidan rushed up to punch Shikamaru, she froze him.

"What the fuck?! I can't fucking move!"

Shikamaru paused to see that he hadn't put on the shadow mimic jutsu. It must have been something else then, he thought. Instantly he glanced at where Thao used to sit to find her gone.

"Shikamaru-san, I think it's time to do your shadow thing. I'm kind of losing it." Appeared from the shadow between Hidan's legs was only Thaomi's head snuck out with her hands holding his feet. "Hey, do you hear me?"

"What the fuck are you doing, bitch?!"

"Kagemane no jutsu!" Shikamaru smiled and stood up as Thaomi released her hold. "Kagemane is successful!"

"The fuck!"

"Let's take a walk to the forest, shall we?"

Shikamaru and Hidan started running, much to Hidan's disagreement. Thao frowned and squinted her eyes at how easy Shikamaru to leave her. She briefly turned to see Kakashi and Midatsu were fighting the thready monsters, before running away towards the forest.

By the time she arrived at the two, she was shocked by the condition Shikamaru was in. He was laying on the ground, holding his eyes, blood spilled everywhere. Hidan was already drawing the circle-triangle on the ground and she knew that soon Hidan would transform.

"Shikamaru, are you okay?" Thaomi landed next to him, checking his irresistibly smooth face. _Wait...smooth?_ Thao couldn't help but smirk. "Is this part of your strategy?"

Shikamaru didn't say anything, but Thao could ready everything from his eye, which excited her more. This lazy guy could come up with a simple idea and suddenly turned it into big thing.

Thao cried when Hidan stabbed himself with his scythe but to be honest it was the stupidest thing she had ever done. She found out that faking a cry turned out to be difficult thing to do when she really wanted to laugh at Hidan's face. And so, a little twist didn't hurt.

What amazed her most was that it didn't stop there. Somehow Hidan was tied up with wires at every inch of his body with exploding tags all over his skin. Under him was a huge hole as if a special tunnel to send him down to Jashin's hell.

Was this really planned out? Just to kill someone who killed his sensei?

An eye for an eye, they said.

Sure she would do that too.

"Wait!"

Just before Shikamaru could throw a cigar to burn the tags, Thaomi was already flying with the help of her flaming black blood right in front of Hidan.

"What is it you want, Bitch?!"

"Before you die, I wanna` ask you something."

"I'm not going to fucking die!"

"I know. Me too." Thaomi shrugged and sighed. All of the sudden her chakra seemed darker. With a slight movement her blood grabbed his scythe and pointed it to his throat. "So Hidan-san, tell me what Akatsuki wants with Kamasosso."

 _Kama-who?_

"Like I'm fucking going to tell you!"

"Oh you will." She pushed the sharp blade deeper to his neck, starting to bleed. "You are so will—,"

A loud blast echoed in the air directing from outside of the forest where supposedly Kakashi and Midatsu were fighting the other Akatsuki. A weak roar ringing through the air but slowly it dispersed and disappeared.

"Looks like no one is gonna save you this time. So hurry up and answer her!" Shikamaru took a drag of his cigar and sat down on a big rock nearby, "So troublesome."

Hidan glared at the Konoha ninja before sighing back to Thaomi. Looking down, he knew it was already his grave to enter, dead or not. Looking back at Thaomi, he couldn't help but felt pity on her.

He and his group had killed many people of her life. Yet Thao was still here threatening him for an answer. Hidan didn't do this often, but he saluted her for what she had gone through.

"You want my fucking answer?" Hidan chuckled heavily, his eyes still locked down to the hole under. He glanced at her as he continued. "Sadly I fucking don't know."

"Don't lie to me!"

"Fucking not—ugh!"

Shikamaru's eyes widened as Thao slashed the scythe over his neck and stuck in the middle, almost slicing it away. Thaomi right now wasn't the same as Thao used to be when she bothered him so much. Something had tricked her off, turning her into a ruthless person.

"It...hurts. But it won't kill me." Hidan coughed out blood. "And I still fucking don't know about the plan."

"What plan?!"

"I'm not sure, but it's something about creating a new world. You s—,"

"Fuck you!"

"FUCKING HEAR ME OUT! Akatsuki is classified even the members didn't even know anything about it. Ask Kakuzu and he will answer the same." Hidan let out a deep heavy sighed and bowed his head down. "So...I fucking don't know."

Thaomi looked at him in disbelief, but somehow her deep instinct trusted him. "You're not lying."

"Sukii told me that you'll become a great ninja someday. Annoying bitch but great kunoichi." Suddenly Hidan's face became softer and more reliable.

"Sukii?" instinctively she grabbed the pendant on her necklace shuddered in thought of listening the Jashin's boy.

"Before I, you know, killed her, she told me to worry about you. She had a lot of faith in you, kid." Hidan made a rough chuckled and looked at her right in the eyes. "You're the least of people I wanna lie to. Not fucking much, but that's all I got."

"You're...not," Thaomi sighed and stepped down. "Shikamaru, I'll take a walk for a moment—,"

"But I can tell you this...you have to fucking protect him and your fucking brother."

Thaomi turned her head back to the dangling man with a scythe stuck in his neck. It was weird to get an advice from the enemy, but at this point any advice helped to calm her down.

"Well are you going to burn me or what?!"

Shikamaru's eyes still locked on the direction where Thao was heading. He glanced at his cigarette and sighed. "What was that about?"

"You really want to know?"

"Yeah, well...it seems serious." Shikamaru now was standing at the edge of the hole with a lit up cigar on his fingers. "Something's off."

"You're a smart man, you should figure out easily." Hidan sighed and looked up to the bright sky.

She heard a loud explosion nearby, which meant that Shikamaru had burned him down. But that didn't concern her. Otsuro did. Something would happen sooner or later to him. There were possibilities. She just hoped that she could fucking protect him till the end.

"Oy Thao." Thaomi looked around to see Shikamaru was standing with deer beside him. "You okay?"

"I'm doing better, thanks." Thao smiled watching Shikamaru interacted with the friendly animal better than he interacted with people, which was rarely do since he liked to spend the day at home.

"So eh...," Shikamaru stammered, his eyes still locked the deer's face. But when he looked away he found himself admiring her shady brown eyes filled with mystery. "If you're really Konoha's ally, you better tell me about this Kamaso thing."

She smiled slightly and patted the deer on the head. Looking at Shikamaru, she nodded as she couldn't help but patted his head as well. "Sure."

He scrunched his eyebrows and shook his head. "Troublesome."


	12. Chapter 12

Thao had already imagined how angry Kabushiro would be. She remembered back days when she and the twins were caught stealing foods from a nearby village few island away from them. Good thing the owners only saw them as poor homeless kids wanting to eat. If they knew about their real identities, things would get worse. Nevertheless they still stuck with Kabushiro's yelling, cursing, and spitting to their faces.

However this time Thao couldn't figure out how angry he actually was until he dangerously ignored her completely, even when she was already at the new home. So there she was, sitting on the wooden stairs doing nothing but silently listen to Kabushiro having a very serious talk with Midatsu alone near the gate.

But hey he'd get over it. Kabushiro got over things very quickly.

Midatsu entered the house and gave a small comforting glance to her. She just gave back a small smile and a nod, before she slumped herself.

A person sat down next to her. She looked at him and smiled. "It's not every day to see you not yelling at me after what I mostly did. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You tell me what's wrong." Surprisingly Kabushiro cracked a smile and shook his head. "I'm tired of questioning you. It's time you speak up, you know."

Thao nodded and let out a long sigh. "You can say that I helped the Konoha defeating the Akatsuki. But as you know me better, everything is more than a helping hand."

"Of course it is."

"So...you want a long version or short version?"

Kabushiro raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Long?"

"Great. So long-story short—," Thao heard a snort from the young man and she couldn't help but chuckled. "I met the person who killed Sukii."

Thao felt Kabushiro's body tensed. "Hidan, I suppose?"

"Yes. And Interestingly Hidan told me everything about the plan of using Kamasosso, which he didn't know any slight of it."

"Wait...he told you or you forced him to? What did you do this time? Stabbing his throat?" Kabushiro smirked and leaned closer. "So what's the plan?"

Thao rolled her eyes in amaze since it was all true. She quietly laughed before continuing. "Something about ruling the world, I think. He didn't know much. It seemed no one knows it well except the leader."

"Playing secrets, huh?" Kabushiro nodded and looked up to the afternoon sky. "What happened to Hidan?"

"He warned me. He said, I quote, you have to fucking protect him and your fucking brother. And then he...BOOM!" Thao puffed her cheeks and gestured her hands as a loud explosion. She chuckled slightly before turned her head around the house. "Where's Otsuro?"

"He is practicing a new jutsu with Tamashi." Kabushiro shrugged and put an arm around her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It's not Kamasosso I'm worried about." Thao sighed and leaned in to his shoulder. "If they get him that means Otsuro will die. And I don't want that."

"Nobody wants that. And nobody will take Kamasosso from him. And we will make sure that happen, won't we?" Kabushiro placed his forehead on hers. And they stilled there for quite few minutes. "Now are you done?"

"Wait, what—what's going on?" Thao narrowed her eyes when Kabushiro had dragged her along to the inside of the house. "Niisan?"

"You see, you realize that if we need to maintain this alliance we need to stay close to Konoha as possible, okay?"

"O-kay?"

"And since you already helped out, I have an idea of becoming Konoha shinobi." Kabushiro scrunched his nose and shrugged. "Well it's actually Otsuro's idea."

"Otsuro's idea?"

"Actually Otsuro was talking about his friends becoming a genin. So I was inspired." Kabushiro chuckled out pride on his clever idea. "So what do you say?"

"No."

"Why?"

"We are Yami shinobi."

"We _were_ Yami shinobi. Now we are nuke-nin."

Thao snapped her head up to Kabushiro's eyes who stared back at her in a calm comfortable way. Technically he was right. Yamigakure was already vanished, probably had risen as a different village, as Midatsu once told her. Did Kuroichi really belong as Yami ninja? People there hated them for what they did. People hated them for what they were.

Even though Konoha people were nice to her and her family, still they were only human being. What if they didn't like the existence of Kamasosso anymore? What if they wanted him dead, just like those people? What if...

"For once you're actually thinking about something." Kabushiro cracked a laugh and patted her head. "I'm surprised if you decline this. I mean...this is you I'm talking about."

"And you won't?"

"I guess I have no choice. Besides hitai-ate is only a headband. Being a village's shinobi is only a label. I don't mind much. It doesn't change the fact that black blood runs in our veins." Kabushiro reached something behind his coat. He pulled out his brand new black Konoha headband. "You wanna try?"

Thaomi stared at the lifeless hitai-ate and then back to her cousin's eyes. "What are you doing, Niisan?!"

Kabushiro furrowed his eyebrow at the sudden outburst. He frowned. "What you mean?"

"I don't know. First up you were yelling at Midatsu but not to me, and then the next thing I knew you offered me a stupid headband. Do you realize we are being used here? Is this part of your plan? To keep us alive?" Thao didn't realize she had raised her voice. She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath, clearing her mind off, which was impossible. "Yes I want to keep us safe, but this is too much."

Kabushiro only smiled and placed a hand on her cheek. "You should get some rest. All of these things wear you off."

Thao's eyes just followed wherever Kabushiro was heading to until he disappeared between walls of people on the busy street. Heavy-weighted, she sighed and made her own way to the Hyuuga Compound. After all she had so much to care for.

* * *

"You know Shika-san, when I said to tell you everything about Kamaso, it didn't actually mean to all of you." Thao gulped as she was forced to sit down with eleven pairs of eyes glooming over her.

"Oh you kidding me? You're becoming one of us now, dattebayo!" Naruto blurted out obviously talking about Kabushiro decision of becoming Konoha ninjas, which in Thao's mind still a bad idea. "So spill already!"

Thao let out a coy smile and looked around to the chuunin in front of her. "Yeah b-but not like this."

"What do you want it to be, huh?" Shikamaru grunted. "Troublesome."

"How about this," Thao coughed out and sat up straighter. "Why don't you tell me what you know so far about me, my clan, and everything behind it?"

"Oh man!" Kiba shook his head. "Enough wasting our time, girl, we have things to do."

"Then we shall have this conversation later after you...do things." Thaomi turned her head away showing an arrogant manner of keeping a secret but she glanced back at them. "That is if you want to do what I just told."

"Why I suddenly think this is a bad idea?" Sakura quietly whispered to Ino. "I mean, do we have to?"

"Of course we have to! She's keeping too many secrets for too long." Ino stood up and leaned forward, face to face with Thao who was gulping a lot. "I demand answers!"

"Oy oy, turn it down, will ya?" Shikamaru mentally slapped himself for his stupid idea of telling Ino about it. To be honest Shikamaru didn't mean to invite all of the chuunin. But thanks to Ino's big mouth, it spread away. "Now the question is, can anyone answer?"

Shikamaru now physically slapped his head when they became hesitated to respond. He glanced at Thao who was now smiling like she owned them. "For starter, I knew that a spirit creature is sealed inside Otsuro's body, whose name I just recognized, Kamamoso-something."

"A spirit creature?!"

"It's Kamasosso. And please, give respect." Thao shook her head in annoyance, "Anyone else?"

Surprisingly a hand rose up.

"Yes Hinata?"

"I...uh, I read a book about...the birth of K-Kuroichi Clan."

"There's something like it?" Chouji questioned her. "When did you read it?"

"When I found out that T-Thaomi was staying at m-my house." Hinata quietly spoke up, feeling more pressured when all eyes turned on her.

"And what you found?" Ino asked.

"I-I...t-there was a spirit who made a contact with a dead human. The bond created a c-connection by blending their blood. The man was brought back to life and the generation of b-black blood rose up." Hinata answered, occasionally glancing at Thao, suddenly feeling insecurity. "The rest of the article was only about u-uh...wars."

"Thao, is that true?" Ino snapped her head to Thaomi, whose smugly smile disappeared and replaced with a genuine sad smile.

"According to that book, that's somewhat correct." Thao closed her eyes and sighed. "But it's not entirely true."

"What you mean?" Sakura asked, a slight concern rained over her.

Thao suddenly stood up and made a couple of hand signs. She opened up the palm of her hands and let out enormous amount of black blood from her hands to shape a background. In just a sway of her hands Shikamaru's rooftop was changed into a view of an old temple in the middle of a jungle.

"This is Makamono temple. This place is where it all began."

* * *

 ** _This is it guys...the history of Kuroichi Clan (sound effect: Hooooooo~)_**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Now, I'm trying so hard to make the story sensible to y'all. if there's something, anything wrong, review please...don't be shy^^**_

* * *

"Papa, do you really have to go now?" Maeta pleaded still hugging her beloved father. "I just had won the academy contest and I hope you'll celebrate it with me."

"I'm sorry dearie. I have a job to do." Mauren sighed and squatted down leveling her eyes. He couldn't help but smile at her doe eyes and pouted lips as he wiped the tears away from her cheek. "But I promise I will come back and celebrate as soon as I can."

Maeta sniffed her small nose and brought her hands to his face. "You promise?"

Instead, Mauren pulled her close and gave her a big warming hug. "I truly promise."

Mauren was an everyday monk who had a rare ability of connecting to the Spirit World. People said he went there to gain the balance of both the Spirit and the Human World. But in an honest way Mauren took the opportunity just to step away from his hard life. So that day he took a trip to the forest and went to the obvious destination, Makamono temple.

Being at his forties meant that Mauren had went on and off the Spirit World a lot more than any human capable of. He sat inside a rocky chair, cross-legged, his cane by his side. He wasn't a ninja, but he activated hand signs as he slept away as usual.

But that day, things were about to get rough.

Mauren found himself wandering around the world to see yet another amazing work of God. The Spirit World was very similar with earth. Only the different was the living inside it. Every single living thing in this world was a spirit who had their own function to keep the piece on their world. Just like human.

"Hey gentleman," a rough sick voice called him up as Mauren straddled off the imaginary horse. He stood there in silence, waiting for the voice to come back. "Human boy."

Mauren began rummaging between trees and bushes only to find a huge vampire bat on the ground, cried out in pain.

"Oh Mighty Spirit, what happened?"

"I could not figure it out, human boy. One moment I was flying and then I fell." The bat was struggling to explain. "Mauren, human boy, can you do something?"

"I'm sorry I can't." Mauren gently lifted up the bat and put him on the soft bushes nearby. "How do you know my name, if I may ask?"

The bat's body began to shake in a controllably manner. He was somewhat laughing. "Boy, who else can come to this place on his willing?"

Mauren found it amusing, coming from a small ugly numb bat who was mocking at him.

"Boy, don't call me ugly. I give you a warning."

"H-how," Mauren opened his mouth but nothing came out other than a shame look spread across his face. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again."

"You sure won't."

"But how can you read my mind, Mighty Spirit?" Mauren sat down next to him, cautiously not to hit his wing. "And how come could I never see you before?

"Obviously I'm a nocturnal Spirit, so I prefer to come out at night. And I just don't like socializing." The bat chuckled before lifted himself up so he was practically in a crawling position facing him. "And you're not the first one to call me that."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm...I'm kind of dying here. I've been sick for weeks now. My wings are numb, my legs are sore, everything is hurting me." The bat sighed and sat up. "I guess I am an ugly numb bat."

"But you're a spirit. Can't you do something about it?" Mauren asked out loud, getting a glare from the mighty spirit in front of him. Mauren bowed down and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"That is fine. Sakanuna's power can only stop the pain, not remove it."

"Sakanuna is the greatest doctor in your world, yet she cannot heal you." Mauren frowned, watching the bat glanced at him in defeated. "Any alternatives?"

The bat looked at him, suddenly his eyes filled with desperate optimist. "There's one way, but never been tried before."

Mauren met a lot of spirit creatures before, but never in his live he saw an injured one. A gray bat was crying in pain. Mauren wanted to help but he knew he was not supposed to use any chakra to the spirit. But somehow he thought, rules were meant to be broken.

The bat regained his health after Mauren healed him with a small amount of chakra. But that small amount of chakra was enough to awaken the power of Kamasosso, the Spirit of Human Darkness.

* * *

"That beast is very ugly. I agree to Mauren." Kiba said as he watched the whole healing scene in front of him.

"Hey that's my creator, right there. Respect, please." Thao shook her head but couldn't help to smile as she noticed that the Konoha ninjas were paying attention, like really paying attention to the short-movie. Even Tenten who earlier showed no interest, was leaning forward to follow the story.

"Whoa, whoa! What happened there?!" Tenten exclaimed when Thao's black blood started to morph a scene of a war between Mauren and a humongous beast.

"This...is the real beginning of the adventure."

* * *

Kamasosso was now possibly the strongest Spirit ever lived, but that wasn't enough for him. Wanting more chakra source, he possessed Mauren's body and mind. Mauren couldn't fight it. He was only an old monk wanting a better living. At last he gave in.

"Daddy?! Mommy, Daddy is home!" the young Maeta practically ran for her life to a figure in a familiar cloak and hat walking down the path to their house. "Daddy!"

"Hey baby girl, I'm home." Mauren immediately lifted her up and gave her a spinning hug very tightly.

"I miss you, dad—," As his hat fell down, Maeta looked up to see his handsome face. She widened her eyes and immediately scooted away. "You're not dad."

"Mae, I am...I just—,"

"My dad has a white hair and beard. And his eyes are brown! Where's dad?"

"Darling, I'm—," before he could explain, Maeta already ran towards the house yelling for her mother in deep frightened.

When Mauren entered the room he was shocked when a woman carelessly tried to stab him with a kitchen knife. The woman missed in a big gap, but she didn't dare to back out as he tried to grab her hands to stop her.

"Get out of my house. NOW!"

"Honey, it's me, Mauren." Mauren looked at his wife holding a butcher knife and a little girl who was crying at the back ground. That broke his heart. "Look, I might have changed in appearance, but it's still me, Kidashi Mauren."

"Daddy? Why do you look different?" Maeta shakily asked, still hiding behind a table at the corner of the room.

"Is this really you?" Gaami quietly asked as she slowly walked up to the strange man standing in defence. "What happened?"

"It's...uh, it's a long story, but I'll make it short and understandable. Can you put down the knife, Honey?" Mauren pleaded. "Trust me, please."

"Fine. But if you lie to us, I'll kill you."

Mauren silently cursed at her determination. He knew his wife and once she vowed on something, she never backed up. That was one thing he liked about her.

"So, as you know about a week ago I visited the temple and mediated there. As usual I met some amazing spirit creatures. One of them was dying and I just couldn't leave him alone." Mauren took a deep breath, his eyes still locking on hers. "So I healed him."

"You cannot heal a spirit?!" Gaami furrowed her eyebrows. "And then what happened?"

"I-uh...turned out I was giving powers. And the next thing I remembered, he forced himself to go inside me. It happened so fast, I couldn't even think about it. My body started to—,"

"What are you talking about? Who is he?"

"One of the Spirit. The Spirit of Human Darkness took over my body. And now he is stuck and cannot return to his world. He is...inside me." Mauren shook his head and headed forward to grab the knife. She was to shock to flinch as she let him owned the knife, not knowing what he wanted to do with it.

Maeta started to cry and ran to hug her mother when Mauren slit the sharp blade to his forearm. Gaami gasped when the blood poured down from the wound. "It's black."

"I know. This is one of the effects." Mauren looked up and started to tie off his kimono. "My yellow eyes, black hair are also the effects of him in me."

"Honey, what on earth is happening?"

Mauren then took off his undershirt and turned around. "And this is a mark to seal the spirit in me."

Maeta found this a little bit interesting. She was intrigued by the black mark across his back she didn't even realize that she was coming to him, wanting to touch the tattoo.

"Daddy?" her little voice echoed the living room. "Are you really my daddy?"

Mauren turned around and saw a small girl with her doe eyes stared at him with her innocent sorrow emotion, but there was a glimpse of hope in there. "Yes."

Gaami's eyes began to tear up watching the father daughter hugged up very tightly, his body almost swallowed her small figure. Gaami walked up to them and kneeled down. Her hand traced down the back of his neck where the mark started to his middle back. Mauren looked to his side and locked his eyes with her.

"This isn't over, is it?"

 ** _Of course it isn't. You have some more works to do, Boy._** Mauren mentally groaned as the voice in his head started to ruin every peace he just had. **_**You love your family, right Boy?**_**

"You're right." Mauren nodded, his hand grabbed the knife from earlier. "I'm sorry, I love you very much."

Within seconds what was a family reunion turned out to be a bloody hug for both Gaami and Maeta.

 _ **Relax, Boy, don't mourn them too long. They'll rise up anyway.**_ There was a sadistic laugh coming inside his head. Mauren grunted and closed his eyes, hoping for it to get off him. **_Now, feed them._**

Even though Mauren's family lived on again, it felt different. Black hair didn't match Maeta and Gaami's olive skin as it used to be fiery red. Looking at them stiffly sat there in confusion, Mauren began to cry hard. It was his entire fault after all.

"Why are you doing this to me?!" Mauren cried out clutching his head and groaned in pain. "Get out of my head, please!"

 ** _Oh please, nothing is better than controlling people. Moreover, the darkest part in you._** There it was again a rusty old voice glooming inside his head. **_Oh Boy, you shouldn't have healed me._**

* * *

"And that was it, guys!"

A lot of grunts and groans could be heard as Thao stopped projecting pictured and pulled her blood back into her hands.

"What?! No fun. You're making us wait!" Naruto cried out. "What happened to the family?"

"Yep, one of the scariest, heartless beasts I've ever seen." Kiba shrugged and leaned on Akamaru's body. "Are you going to continue?"

"Not. Just let me take a rest for a while." Thao didn't realize how tired she was until she laid down arms and legs spread opened. "I will definitely never do this again."

"Killing people you love? That's so inhuman." Sakura frowned and sniffed up. "That's so dark."

Shikamaru nodded his head, as when realization smacked his head. Kamasosso controlled the dark part of human. The way Thao acted when she interrogated Hidan few days back, it was so sudden and scary. Could human really be so cruel so mean?

"That's my ancestor for you." Thao turned to the medic-nin and gave her a small smile. She reluctantly shrugged and got up. "I shall continue by vocal."

The ninjas nodded getting back in their position. Thao couldn't help but rolled her eyes at the sudden excitement respond she got.

"So, the three member of the family decided to move out from the village for the villagers' and their own safety. They decided to stay in Makamono Temple." Thao began, "Gaami, as a writer, began to write every single thing about the Spirit named Kamasosso. As far as I know she had made three books over all. But the books had conspiracy, so most of them were burned."

"Why is that?"

"This Kamasosso thing was supposed to be a classified secret. For many-many years Kamasosso and his followers had lived in peace, until one day Akatsuki suddenly made an ambush and killed—do you know why they did it? Because they read a piece of paper that said; _The Great Kamasosso is living with us to control the darkness within_. That's—," Thao froze on spot when she realized that she had raised her voice. She glanced at the rather terrified and pitiful eyes before she took a deep breath. "Sorry guys, it's...um, yeah sorry about that."

"What happened to Mauren then?" Shikamaru asked out of the blue, trying to lose the tension.

"Well, twenty years later he died because of sickness. And when the seal broke out, Kamasosso found he was uncontrollably free. But of course he was still a spirit creature and he needed human chakra to live in. So, Gaami sealed the beast inside Maeta's body."

"And so there were only two of them left." Sakura wondered out loud. "Right?"

"Yeah, not exactly. Gaami was killed when she sealed him in Maeta's body. And because of that, Maeta decided to activate yet another sacred jutsu which is a blood extraction jutsu." Thao explained. "It goes like this; Maeta collected dead bodies that she wanted to revive and fed them with her contaminated blood. And then she activated jutsu and brought them back to life."

"Why didn't she revive her own parents back?" Ino asked.

"Kamasosso only wants pure red bloodlines. Anyway, Maeta married to one of the dead and had descendants. And so did the other deads. The generation now is famously known as..." Thao made a dramatic pause and then pointed her thumbs in front of her chest. "Ta da! The Kuroichi Clan. The clan of Black Bloods."

Most of the teenage ninja only blinked to the sudden dramatic expression.

"Ugh, and then what happened?"

"Well, The Kuroichi Clan found a very remote village and offered some kind of protection. The chief of the villagers agreed. So the Black Bloods created this huge black sphere-like dome, obviously made out of bloods, surrounding the village, famously known as Yamigakure, the Village Hidden in the Darkness." Thao paused. "That's until it was ruined."

Silence spread around the rooftop as Ino and other were too dumbstruck to give a respond. It was a lot to take at once.

"I don't understand." Shino who sat at the background during all of that suddenly blurted out. "If Kamasosso controls human's dark side, why could your people live in peace?"

"Is Otsuro going to kill as well?" Hinata's white eyes widened and she brought her hands to her chest in worry.

"I hope not." Thao sighed and looked over to the sunset just behind the Hokage's Memorial Cliff. "Over the past generations, more Kuroichi people created and learned more advanced jutsu to keep Kamasosso safe. They found a way to hibernate him during the time he was sealed. That's what happened to previous hosts, my dad, and it's happening to Otsuro."

"Wait, your dad was also a host?" Kiba snorted. "You have one crazy family."

"Oh, you tell me."

"What if—," Chouji suddenly paused and glanced sadly at Thaomi. "What if Kamasosso got killed? Is that possible?"

"It's not easy to kill a spirit, but it is likely to happen." Thao sighed and glanced at the eyes for few times on that moment. "But if he dies, the black blood will lose its power. Then Kuroichi people will...eventually die."

"So will you." Shikamaru closed his eyes, trying to keep up with the entire story behind her ridiculously hard life. Never in his life he met a girl with a very complicated history and it was true.

"You guys, you don't have to understand the story completely, fascinates me if you actually do. But I really appreciate this talk. Somehow it makes me feel...safer." Thaomi smirked and got up. "Well, I'm pretty much done here. So you guys better go and do your things."

One by one the chuunin said their thanks and bid goodbyes to their distinctive destination. But Shikamaru stayed there, now lighting up a cigar. Thaomi glanced at the Nara kid before snatching the cigarette off his hand.

"What you doing?"

"This calms you down, right?" Thaomi slowly and carefuly took a couple of drag in the butt of the cigar, this time without letting out a cough. "And I need to calm myself down."

"Really now?"

"Yup—ough-ogh," it seemed that Kuroichi Clan had weak lungs as Thaomi began coughing out the smokes, "Hmm, yeah. So much for relaxation."

Shikamaru shook his head and snatched the small thing back. "You're troublesome."

"Of course—,"

"Shika-chan, you have a letter from Suna!" a womanly voice called out from downstairs. "Shikamaru?!"

"Shika- _chan_?"

"Be right there, ma!" Shikamaru grunted and turned to her. "Do not call me that! And I'll see you around."

"Okay _Shika_ - _chan_ ~!" Thao watched as he disappeared under the ladder and couldn't help but chuckled. "Stupid idiot."

* * *

 _ **Aaaandd that's it for history if the making! As I told you before, I'm going to post multiple chapters at once. I think five chapters are enough. In the meantime I'll search some incredible idea for Shika and Thao. Soon we all met again...take care (^0^)**_


End file.
